IOT employees’ 13th month salary payment explained |29 March 2018
Indian Ocean Tuna will ensure that the 13th month salary for its Seychellois employees does not become an issue again and has said that this will be taken up by Thai Union at the end of the year.
Indian Ocean Tuna (IOT) general manager Nichol Elizabeth and the Société Seychelloise D’Investissement chairperson Dolly Tirant gave these details as they answered questions from the local press on the sidelines of Tuesday’s ‘Blue Economy for Sustainable Tuna’ symposium held at the Eden Bleu hotel.
Mrs Tirant explained that the IOT is an ITZ (international trade zone) company operating under a specific related legal framework which has not changed.
“When government introduced the 13th month salary, its legislation was outside the ITZ framework and this is why government has stepped in for the past two years to pay the 13th month salary,” Mrs Tirant explained.
She noted that for the coming year, the IOT will take up and discuss the issue with Thai Union to see how it can be taken into consideration together with other costs of production that they need to address.
“Together we will work on finding a solution so that we will not have the same issues coming up again,” Ms Tirant said.
On his part, IOT general manager Nichol Elizabeth pointed out that the government is part of the company and there is nothing wrong if it takes parts in a financial contribution towards the company. He remarked that it is not about the government and Thai Union but one company with two shareholders – the government of Seychelles and Thai Union.
“It is not that we cannot afford the payment, it is about who is making the payment and why the payment is being made on behalf of government. We have enough time to discuss the 2018 payment with our partners,” Mr Elizabeth explained.
Clarifying public confusion and their belief that taxpayers’ money was being used by government to pay IOT employees a 13th month salary when the company was making large profits, Mr Elizabeth pointed out that the IOT is the operator of the business under the Thai Union investment.
“We work with our partner, the SSI, representing the government and we pay the government a dividend through the SSI at the end of the year based on the company’s financial performance. It is not as if Thai Union is making all the money and running away with it. We do pay our contributions to the government and the more we produce the more dividend we pay and therefore if the government makes a financial contribution there is nothing wrong with that,” Mr Elizabeth clarified.
Meanwhile, Mr Elizabeth has again appealed to the Seychellois to come forward and join the different jobs and career opportunities that exist at the IOT.
“I believe for too long there has been a lack of understanding and misconception about what the IOT offers in terms of jobs,” Mr Elizabeth stated.
He said the IOT is not only about cleaning fish but it also offers different types of jobs in different areas from fish processing, administration, the supply chain, the financial and commercial to the technical and engineering part.
“IOT offers everything in terms of jobs and career opportunities and gradually throughout this year we will make Seychellois more aware of what is going on inside the IOT because it is only by knowing what we offer in terms of packages and benefits, that more Seychellois will be more eager to join the company,” Mr Elizabeth affirmed.
The president and chief executive of Thai Union, Thiraphong Chansiri stated that the recent appointment of a Seychellois in the person of Mr Elizabeth at the head of the IOT is proof of the company’s commitment to the people of Seychelles.
“We are giving the local people as much opportunities as we can and we will work closely with the government of Seychelles for people development to ensure we have the right and qualified local people to fill in the positions,” Mr Chansiri stressed.