Fiji-owned recruiting company Access United (Fiji) revealed the figures to The Fiji Times yesterday.
Access United (Fiji) managing director Varinava Tiko said the amount was the projected value of remittances, which Fiji would earn by people who were recruited to work overseas.
“So far, we’ve sent 77 people to Iraq and the projected amount of remittances they will be making is estimated to be $US9.5 million ($17m) over the next four years,” Tiko said.
“And we are currently in negotiations to send a further 300 to 500 overseas, which is yet to be confirmed,” he said.
He said the 300 to 500 Fijians, once they secured overseas job contracts, were projected to send back over $102 million in remittances.
“The money sent back will not only benefit the families of the men sent overseas but also the country because the money will go back into the economy,” Tiko said.
He explained Access United had secured a recruiting contract for the Olive group, which was the first private security company to go into Iraq with the United States during the war on terror.
Tiko said the agency had registered over 500 people who could be sent overseas to take advantage of new job markets as they opened up.
He said the current contract with the Olive group was for four years and it was signed at the end of August.
Ilaisa Kacivakanadina, a security contractor with Access United said: “The way that Tiko has conducted his recruitment process is transparent and very professional,” Kacivakanadina said.
He said given the nature of the work, the pay given to contractors was more than adequate. He said those who had signed with the agency were fortunate to be given the opportunity to go and earn for their families.
“Considering that some contracts for other security companies are six to 12 months, and the fact that we never leave the green zone, we are very fortunate,” Kacivakanadina said.
