The High Commissioner of Solomon Islands to Australia, H.E Robert Sisilo and team conducted a week-long pastoral visit to Solomon Islands PALM scheme workers in the Northen Territory of Australia from 23 to 27 March.
The team included, Second Secretary of the High Commission, Mr Jeromy Bird, Country Liaison Officer for Northern Territory, Ms Vera Cheffers and Admin/ Logistics Officer, Mr Sajid Anwar.
The Northen Territory hosts mostly Solomon Islands aged-care workers spread throughout four remote towns with one group at a farm in one of those towns.
The visit began on 23 March at the town of Alice Springs which hosted more than 50 Solomon Islands aged-care workers.
The next morning the trip continued with a six-hour drive to the town of Tennant Creek where the High Commissioner and team met with six of the eight aged-care workers based there.
The team then drove another six hours to the town of Katherine which hosted seven aged-care workers and seven farm workers, met with five female of the aged-care workers on 25 March and seven farm workers the next morning at the farm.
They concluded the visit with the two male aged-care workers before driving off to Darwin to board a flight to the town of Nhulunbuy and met with seven aged-care workers on 27 March.
The High Commissioner and team held information and tok-stori sessions with the workers, enquired on their well-being, status and progress of employment whilst also welcoming and answering questions from the groups.
The workers were genuinely happy to be visited by the High Commissioner and team given the remoteness of their locations; they rarely get visits from fellow nationals.
The workers shared that some did face challenges in the beginning particularly in terms of adapting to their jobs and missing their families and loved ones.
Overall, the workers shared that they are happy with their living and working conditions and are satisfied with how they are being treated by the employers.
The aged-care PALM workers are mostly employed by Australia Regional and Remote Community Services (AARCS) with two employed by NT Carers.
The farm workers are employed by Nutrano and work as the core workers for the farm during the off-season period.
The High Commissioner and team also paid courtesy visits to the Mayor of Alice Springs, Ms Astor Hill, the Mayor of Tenet Creek, Mr Sid Vashist and the Mayor of Katherine, Ms Joanne Holden to acknowledge and thank them for hosting Solomon Islands PALM workers and to discuss potential areas for further cooperation.
The mayors thanked the High Commissioner and highlighted the importance of the PALM scheme in their communities and local economies.
The mayors also impressed on the High Commissioner the value, work ethic and commitment that Solomon Islands workers bring to their work.
–MFAET PRESS
