Ongoing work at the Ministry of Labour to resolve workers compensation claims for the period 2001 – 2009 has whittled down case numbers from a high of 2201 to just 197 pending cases.
A special taskforce was setup on the directions of the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama in February 2010 to resolve the huge backlog of compensation claims some of which dated back to the year 2001.
About 2004 cases have been settled with around $1m in compensation claims paid to injured workers or dependents.
The 2004 cases that have been settled represent a 91.04 percent achievement.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information, National Archives and Library Services Sharon Smith Johns said that compensation backlogs have always been a source of frustration for dependents of workers who have either suffered some form of injury or died while at work.
“Some families have had to wait for so many years before the case is eventually compensated,” Ms Smith Johns said.
“The worker has put in his time at work and delays in compensating the worker and his family shows a level of insensitivity of past Governments to the pain and suffering of families.
“But this Government is committed to seeing that this is no longer the case.
“Workers are important players in building the national economy and Government will look after their interests.”
Government paid out $915, 933.56 in compensation for 121 cases, 22 of each were for work related deaths.
Private companies compensated 24 workers with a total of $34, 752. 29.
Around 1856 cases were closed because they did not have sufficient or valid grounds for compensation.
Compensations are covered under the Workmen’s Compensation Act Cap 94 that prescribes a maximum payout of $24,000 for either death at work or work environment related debilitating injury.
“This is a huge achievement for the Ministry of Labour that has brought some relief to so many families,” Ms Smith Johns added.
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