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More than 300 jobs at risk in Samoa

More than 300 workers at the Electric Power Corporation (E.P.C) stand to lose their jobs if a new management structure is finalised and approved.Documents leaked to the Sunday Samoan show that the restructure will slash the number of jobs at the Corporation drastically.For example, under the sub-title “New E.P.C Structure” in the documents in question, once the “New EPC Management Structure” is “officially approved,” the number of employees will drop from more than 450 to about 100.General Manger of E.P.C, Tologata Tile Tuimaleali’ifano, confirmed that the issue is being discussed but was reluctant to give details.“Thanks for showing interest in “New EPC Structure,” Tologata wrote in response to questions from the Sunday Samoan. “However, I think it is pretty much premature to publicise this as it is still under deliberation by the Board.”Pushed about how the new structure would affect the employees, Tologata said: “I just cannot discuss this until this is officially approved by our Board of Directors and Cabinet.”He added that “I am the only one authorised by the Board to release any information to the public about E.P.C and you have to disclose your source of this information.”The Chairman of the Board, Fa’aolesa Katopau Ainu’u, also declined to comment.Questions sent to the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Manu’alesagalala Enokati Posala, along with a request for an interview, have not been responded to.During a recent interview with Fa’aolesa, he said that when they came on board, the Corporation had 596 employees. The number has since fallen to less than 450 workers.He said the decision to reduce the workers was a “task given” to them by Cabinet.A reliable source told the Sunday Samoan the outsourcing of work within the E.P.C has begun with workers being laid off from the core functions.