On Monday morning the 19 th October 2020, the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour
was advised of a tragedy from New Zealand involving workers who were deployed under the
Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme. Eleven workers who were contracted under
Thornhill Viticulture and Horticulture Ltd were in a car accident in Napier that sadly claimed
the life of Mr Tino Tagiilima from the villages of Lano and Vaimoso. Tino (37 years of age)
is married to Silila Tagiilima of Vaimoso and have five children. He first joined the scheme
in November 2014. He left Samoa as a Team Leader for his 6 th RSE contract on the 26 th
October 2019 and was scheduled to return on 30 th April 2020. Due to the impacts of
COVID19 with borders closed to international travel, Tino and his team were afforded visa
and contract extensions until 2021.
According to a local organizer, Tino was a very trusted member of the team and was a great
team leader too. The Ministry’s implementing agency, the Labour and Employment Export
Program Division, attended the home of Tino at Vaimoso on Monday evening to relay the
unfortunate news to the family and provide comfort and advice as the Ministry also grieves
and works to support the return safely of Tino’s remains home.
Our deepest condolences to Silila, her children, family and friends on this very sad occasion.

Faalavelave tau taavale i Napier Niusila, Oketopa 2020.
I le aso Gafua 19 o Oketopa 2020, na faailoa aloaia mai ai e le Sui Sooupu a le Malo o
Galuega Faavaitaimi i Niu Sila se tasi o faalavelave faafuasei tau taavale sa aafia ai nisi o alo
ma fanau i lalo ole polokalame o Galuega Faavaitaimi i Niu Sila (RSE). O lenei faalavelave
tau taavale na aofia ai le toasefulutasi (11) alii o loo faigaluega faakonekarate e le kamupani a
Thornhill i Hawkes Bay Niu Sila. E aofia ai i lena 11 se tasi o alii faigaluega, le susuga ia
Tino Tagiilima, na faamaonia mai lona maliu ai i le taimi o lenei faalavelave.
O le susuga ia Tino ua 37 tausaga o le matua o lona soifua ma o se tamā i se fanau e toalima.
Sa aumau i latou ma si ona toalua ma si a la fanau i le afioaga o Vaimoso, ae o se alo mai le
afioaga o Lano i Savaii. Na uluai ulufale Tino i le polokalame i le tausaga e 2014 ia Novema.
O le ono a’i nei o malaga i galuega fa’avaitaimi sa ia tuua ai Samoa i le aso 26 Aperila 2019
ma le fuafuaga e toe taliu mai le aso 30 o Aperila 2020. Talu ai ona o a’afiaga o le Koviti19
sa le mafai ona tatala ai faigamalaga mo i latou uma sa fuafua e malaga mai i Samoa talu mai
le masina o Mati, o lea na toe faaauauina ai latou konekarate ma visa e le kamupani seia aulia
le tausaga fou 2021.

E tusa ai ma fa’amaumauga ma fa’amatalaga i le auai ai o Tino i galuega fa’avaitaimi i Niu
Sila, ose alii e faamaoni ile galuega ma sa avea ai ma ta’ita’i agavaa mo le kamupani. Na
faatasi atu sui o le Matagaluega o Pisinisi, Alamanuia ma Leipa i lalo o le Vaega o Galuega
Faavaitaimi i le aiga o lē ua maliu i le aoauli o le aso Gafua lava e fa’ailoa aloaia le tala
faanoanoa ma se upu faamafanafana e tusa ai ma le motusia faafuasei o le mafutaga. O loo
galulue fa’atasi le Matagaluega ma le kamupani i le auaina mai ole tino maliu o le susuga ia
Tino i Samoa mo ona toe sauniga uma.
E avea ai foi lenei avanoa taua e avatu ai fa’amaisega a le Malo e tauala atu i le Matagaluega i
le paia i aiga na lua, ae maise le tinā o le aiga ma si ana fanau loto fa’anoanoa ona o le valaau
paia a le Atua i le tama o le aiga.