Vanuatu seasonal worker

Forty-four-year-old Garae, a seasonal worker, died hours upon arrival in Auckland on Wednesday, 3 February.

He was part of a group of 150 men that travelled to New Zealand under the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme.

Garae’s body was repatriated to Port Vila. 

New Zealand High Commissioner to Vanuatu Jonathan Schwass, Commissioner of Labour, Murielle Meltenoven and relatives of Garae in Port Vila paid their final respects to Garae before his body was flown to Santo yesterday (Wednesday).

Garae reportedly died of a heart attack.

There are reports from Auckland that an ambulance was called to the Crowne Plaza Hotel last night (Wednesday) to attend to a fatal medical event.

The death is not Covid-19 related.

 The deceased was part of a group of about 150 Ni-Van workers that travelled to Auckland yesterday under the Recognised Seasonal Employers scheme.

Photo file source NZ Now 

Strode Road Orchard owner Lochie McNally said Vanuatu had not had a case of Covid-19 and the disease had been effectively eliminated in New Zealand, making it difficult to understand what Ni-Vanuatu officials were waiting for.

McNally said it would be cheaper to pay for flights home than to keep paying the men, in his case eight, as work ran out.

The hospitality and tourism sector accounts for more than 40 per cent of Vanuatu's GDP; the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers are key contributors to that economy.

Stuff.Co reports Reinald Bongnaim​, 35, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless use of a vehicle causing death and two charges of careless use of a vehicle causing injury.

Seventy-eight-year-old, Kevin John Edwards​, of Wakefield, was one of those injured in the two-car crash at the intersection of Lord Rutherford Road and State Highway 6.

He later died in Christchurch Hospital.

The Nelson District Court heard on Monday how Bongnaim arrived in New Zealand last November, was employed in Motueka, and had leased a motor vehicle from an associate.

The worker, who cannot be named, has been charged with an indecent act on a girl in Blenheim on January 2. 

The man, who is employed under the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, appeared at the Blenheim District Court on Monday. 

He was remanded on bail without plea to February 4 and ordered to surrender his passport and have no contact with the complainant. 

Photo file