Every year, 1,650 Samoans are selected for New Zealand residency in the quota ballot, and, amazingly, most of them end up with employment offers, a requirement under the system. It has now been revealed that Samoans are paying up to NZ$8,000 to buy work contracts.

People are willing to go to any lengths to get a residency in a country more developed than ours, and many are willing to dish out the extra money to buy work contracts that will ensure them a guaranteed residency. This shows how some companies are willing to exploit the needs of some people. This also points out a flaw in the quota system, which activist Anae Arthur Anae believes needs to be revised.

His concern is about protecting those applying. People whose names will be drawn from the quota ballot are required to get a job offer. Anae pointed out that in many cases, the employer has never met the person and the person has no experience with the type of work that is being offered.

“This has opened up an opportunity for the unscrupulous to sell a job offer up to NZ$8000 with no guarantee of employment and nonrefundable. We humbly request that members of the New Zealand Parliament urgently look into this and the impossibility of the present requirements. We humbly request that when a person is successful, they be issued a six-month working visa to travel to New Zealand and satisfy the requirements,” said Anae.

According to the changes proposed by Anae, at the end of six months, successful applicants must return immediately if they have been unable to secure employment. He said failure to do so will mean deportation and will never be allowed to reapply for the scheme, and will have a five-year penalty for not returning to New Zealand.

The points raised by Anae are valid, and it would be useful if the New Zealand government would take an objective look at them. It would also help if our government backs Anae’s petition for better protection of its people. More importantly, our people have a chance to support another petition by Anae, which aims to make things better for our people.

We should always support opportunities which make people's lives better but we must draw a line when people start taking advantage of people’s needs. In this case, the need to have a work permit. Everyone wants a better life for their family, children and themselves. Everyone wants better education and access to health care. For many, the New Zealand quota provides that opportunity, and that opportunity should not be allowed to be manipulated for the gain of unscrupulous businesses.

Anae was part of the team that helped restore citizenship to Samoans that was taken away in 1982, and he is also pushing for visa-free entry into New Zealand for Pacific nations. This is another cause he is pushing, something which will allow Samoans to get entry into New Zealand and then look for work permits. This would save many from scams.