Calgary stint a living hell: Ali

Local Sports

Calgary Tavua A Fijian soccer player who came to Canada under temporary worker program says he was mistreated while employed by a Calgary company.

Shirof Ali, the former Lautoka rep, said his employer Autopro Automotive Maintenance and Repairs misrepresented itself by not honoring the contractual labour agreement.

He said the 3 years’ he had been in the country turned out to be a living hell.

Ali told Radio S1 Dhamaka the business owner is Peter Singh, the chairman of Calgary Tavua team, the central figure behind bringing him and a host of former Ba players to work for him.

“I came to Calgary in 2012 with a promise of full-time work, as it turned out it was anything but”, he said. “I was quickly enrolled into playing for their team. The motives from the very get go was to get players for soccer much less work and that many Calgary Fijians will vouch for".

He said staggered days and hours just didn’t help him and a few named players to earn a decent income to support their families in Fiji and live in Canada.

Ali, who returned to Fiji on Thursday, said Ba’s Petero Dauniseka, Peter Huges and Marika Madigi faced similar situations as they were all brought in for the very same reasons and that is to strengthen Calgary Tavua.

“Pete (Petero Dauniseka) and Peter Hughes lucked out by getting married otherwise they would’ve followed the suit by returning home as well”.

The former Calgary Tavua midfielder said the first 6 months was not that bad as it all appeared to be going well but when Pete (Dauneseka) and Peter Hughes joined they were left to share a cramped basement that was far below today’s standards. There on was such a chaos”.

Ali hinted the last two years had been agonizing for him. 

“I was left with no job. Good friends helped me all through my ordeal and I’m glad I’m going home”.

The owner of Autopro Automotive Maintenance and Repairs, Peter Singh when contacted labelled the allegations as preposterous and complete lie.

Singh said Ali was scheduled to work Monday to Saturdays and that he failed to show up for work insisting he complied with the labour rules.

“Shirof is full of it, he said. “He simply refused to work. He didn’t have the desire to show up for work daily”.

“I have over hundreds of witness that can come forward and say a lot of things about Ali, some very nasty.

“I have been in the business for a long time and I know what it takes to run a successful business let alone a soccer team.

“I have treated Ali and them many who have worked or continue to work for me with utmost respect and fairness and would continue to do so".

Ali said Singh can say whatever he feels like now that he is not in the country to defend himself added he would never recommend anyone in Fiji to take the job offer from the said company.

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+3 #2 fijian — 2015-11-11 16:02

That's so true because there is another company here in Calgary that brings people from fiji and misuses them, they take money for the rent even though they dont stay there, no benefits no nothing

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+3 #1 friend — 2015-11-07 17:18

Can talk to lot of Calgarians about what Shiroff has said in the interview.....and most of them will vouch for Shiroff that he is right.Peter Singh is just trying to save his behind when he gave the interview.

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