Samoa has slowed down its seasonal worker program to deal with a number of issues which include extramarital affairs, excessive alcohol consumption and absconding to other employment.
200 Samoans are due to return even before their contracts are over, for violating laws and terms and conditions.
Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said the program hasn’t been stopped but there are changes needed.
She made the comments at a press conference in Wellington, New Zealand this week.
Samoa is involved in the seasonal worker program to Australia and New Zealand.
Ms Mata’afa said the seasonal worker program was intended for those who were unemployed but the lure of money abroad had led to this system being exploited.
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“We have to have a re-look at the system. What has been happening is that even civil servants and those employed in the private sector are going in the seasonal worker programs,” she said.
“This has led to a few issues and we want to deal with it before we can go back to the program in full force.”
The last flight to New Zealand was on June 12 while a flight will leave for Australia at the end of the month.
The program from Samoa will resume in October again once the review of the system has been done.
