Father Looks Forward to Paternity Leave
Fathers in Fiji can now look forward to spending quality time with their newborns after the paternity leave for fathers came into effect yesterday.
This was good news for first-time father Shibu Sharma, who welcomed his new-born son at the Lautoka Hospital yesterday.
The paternity leave for fathers was announced by the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum during the National Budget announcement last year.
Fathers are now eligible to a paid five-day paternity leave and this can only be taken three months before or three months after the baby is born. Mr Sharma said he was excited about spending quality time with his wife, Sally Sharma, and their newborn son.
“This is something good for the fathers because they also want to spend more time with the babies as well to help with the mother,” he said.
“This is my first child and I am really happy about it.”
Mrs Sharma said she was also happy that her husband would be home for five days to help her with their son.
“This is a good thing and it also gives mothers a supportive hand because after delivery the mothers are very tired and they need someone to support them all the time,” she said. The couple acknowledged the Government for the initiative.
This is something good for the fathers because they also want to spend more time with the babies as well to help with the mothEr. This is my first child and I am really happy about it. Shibu Sharma Working father