WHEN STUPIDITY REIGNS

Today I read through the requirements of the FNPF for COVID-19 assistance and shook my head in disbelief at the level of ‘stupidity’ on display.

First, they stop manually submitted applications to comply with health officials ‘instructions’ about distancing. They ignore the fact that not all their members are online. But they have no issue instructing the ‘employer’ to make contact with employees and get them the forms while breaching the distancing rules in the process. They make no exceptions for those companies that do not appear on their list but have workers and have been contributors to the FNPF. Neither are there exceptions for those companies already shut down and whose employees have gone to their homes and villages throughout Fiji to wait out the crisis. And if that’s not enough, the FNPF wants the employer to instruct the employee to go get a bank statement that will cost 20 cents a copy. This will put them in close contact with bank officials. Then they must get another photo ID. What the hell for? We are in a national emergency, people have no money and no food, and the FNPF is adopting a rigid bureaucratic approach.

They, the suffering victims, are already FNPF members; they have accounts with FNPF, their FNPF deductions are made to that account. FNPF has all their details. So why on earth is the fund inconveniencing members and employers in the middle of a health crisis that could be lethal, by asking for information it already has. WHY?

And who do you think is going to do all this in a company that has already stopped operations and no longer has any employees on the payroll? SO STUPID.

And exactly who has the financial resources and means to go charging around collecting the information which you already have? YOU the FNPF or your unemployed member?

And where are your corporate values with regard to your promise of your commitment to your members of excellence - to being the best and to deliver the best. As for Integrity – is that what you mean when you say you will resolve to do what is right for your customers, even when no one is looking?

What is the worth of any Corporate Statement on values unless you actually practice what you preach?

AND WHOSE MONEY DO YOU THINK IS IN THE FNPF - IT'S THE MEMBERS!