The Ministry of Labour and Commerce has written to some Chinese-owned businesses in Tongatapu, demanding that they cease trading and warning that they have breached worker visas.
Businesses have been warned about violating health standards, of employing workers in areas not covered by their visas and providing fraudulent documents.
There were also concerns about Chinese business submitting documents in Chinese, rather than English.
Kaniva News has seen a letter dated January 23, 2018, addressed to the owner of Zenith Co. Ltd in Fangaloto. In the letter the Ministry’s CEO Edgar Cocker told Mrs Hui Qin Yu he was aware that Miss Chulin Zhang, Mr Qiuming Wu and Mr Wenchao Lin were all issued with Domestic Helpers Visas.
He said this meant they were only allowed to work in Hui’s resident in Pea and not at the business and factory at Fangaloto.
“In addition, Mrs Meili Song was issued a temporary visa in which the condition clearly stated that business, employment and study are prohibited. You are now violating the Immigration and Employment Act of Tonga,” Cocker told Hui.
“In inspecting your premises, the outside of the building is loaded with filthy and unpleasant materials and rubbish that are strictly prohibited and have health safety issues that the Ministry of Health should be made aware of.”
He said Hui breached her tenancy agreement which said the tenant must keep the premise and its surroundings clean.
In a letter to the Directors of GX Enterprises Co. Ltd in Nuku’alofa, Mr Guangxiong Chen and Ms QiQi Li on January 22, 2018 Mr. Cocker said the business operated without a license and what they had written on their statement of management and ownership was “a fictitious statement, that is not acceptable…”
“You are carrying a business activity that is considered illegal. You must close your business now, and provide me with factual and verified statement to furnish your application for a Business License,” Mr. Cocker said.
Mr. Cocker also wrote to Mr Jianhua Hu and Mr Yingjian Zhang of the Tonga Tourism and Economy Development Group Ltd and said he could not accept documents they submitted in the processing of their business license which were in Chinese.
“I cannot accept signatures in Chinese by Shudong Zhu, Jian Hua Hu and Mr Yang Lu,” Mr. Cocker said.
Labour inspectors found some Chinese premises did not meet hygiene and safety standards.
There were also concerns about the labelling of some products in Chinese that were not translated into English. There were also claims that they appeared not to have been approved for sale by Health authorities.
There were also claims some of these businesses had breached their tenancy agreements.
For more information
Tongan stores defunct as Chinese businesses increasingly take over, businessman claims
