FIFTY-one-year-old Sitiveni Rasue will use money from his redundancy payout to start a canteen business from his home at Rakiraki Village.
He had worked for the FSC for 31 years as a stores counter-hand and a rigger-offside.
The FSC paid him $12,000 as part of the severance pay and Mr Rasue has started extending his house that will be used as a canteen.
“I have obtained a business license to sell fish and grog from the canteen,” he said.
“My wife and I will look after the business together and once it’s running well, I will look for a job elsewhere.”
He wants to use the redundancy money wisely and is advising his colleagues to do the same.
“Times are not good and I hope all those who lost their jobs will use the money to do something that will earn them an income.”
Mr Rasue is a qualified rigger and has attained training in occupational health and safety that was funded by the FSC.
“I used to provide in-house training to FSC employees in firefighting and all this qualification will now go to waste.”
He says he has two children who are working.
“I have told them I can survive on my own and I won’t be relying on them.”