Former Purser Makes a Name as a Realtor
Former Fiji Airways purser, Leanne Vuniwaqa, is making a difference at Sunshine Development Pte Ltd.
The 48-year-old worked with the Fiji Airways for 27 years as a purser, before her contract was terminated this year.
Ms Vuniwaqa hails from Gau and has two children.
Sunshine Development Pte Ltd is a real estate developer and approved foreign investor with Investment Fiji.
The company is developing a highend residential gated community at Malolo, on the mainland of Nadi.
As a sales consultant with the company, Ms Vuniwaqa said her work was no different to working in the airline industry.
“Every day has its own challenges, and like being a purser, you interact with people of many walks of life every day, from the taxi driver to the airline captain and sometimes famous actors and government officials,” she said.
Attitude
According to the Sunshine Development Ltd chief executive officer and investor, Rupeni Fonmanu, all sales consultants were recruited solely on attitude, not on qualifications, race or societal status.
“We dispute the norm and use the current economic challenge to our advantage,” he said.
“Since joining the real estate company, Leanne has earned more than her annual salary with Fiji Airways.”
She used her first commission to invest in the fractional ownership scheme set up by Sunshine Development.
Shares
The objective was to provide a platform that allowed staff members and consultants to invest, as opposed to holding shares in the company, Mr Fonmanu said.
It also gave investors the confidence that consultants of Sunshine Development were confident with their product by walking-the-talk.
It offered surety that such consultants would see the development through to completion, Mr Fonmanu said.
“It is also an affordable method of investing where other staff members and consultants share the initial investment outlay, and with such high commission remuneration it motivates these investors to earn and allow them to settle their lots, before being issued with the titles,” he said.
According to Sunshine Development chairman, Junhui Fu: “I came to Fiji, fell in love with the country, and its beautiful people and decided to invest.
“That includes investing in the people of Fiji.”
He said former flight attendants with the real estate company were a bonus to the workforce.
“They are our gain,” Mr Fu said. “I am very happy and proud of Leanne’s dynamic consultantcy work, and will continue to support her and former airline crew who join our workforce.”