THE FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT OFFICE RECENTLY OPENED BY THE MINISTER FOR LABOUR, MR JONE USAMATE IS PROBABLY THE MOST CRUCIAL STEP TO RESOLVING THE CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS IN FIJI AND WILL ULTIMATELY BOOST THE ECONOMY THROUGH INCREASED REMITTANCES..........IT WOULDNT HAVE TAKEN THIS LONG IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONSIDERED EARLIER PROPOSALS LIKE MINE GIVEN IN A LETTER BELOW.............A SIMILAR ONE PUBLISHED IN 2007..... Employment Opportunities (14/08/2010) About two months ago I wrote an article in your newspaper on the topic of Employment Opportunities & Brain drain. In my article I had discussed about the problem of unemployment faced by graduates from the three universities and other local tertiary institutions. I also cited the result of a tracer study conducted by TPAF on its own graduates who were also faced with the same dilemma. It is encouraging to note that the government has established an employment window for unemployed personnel in Fiji. My understanding is that all those seeking employment are expected to be registered on application and their names and profile would be entered into a national database for easy access by the government in case an opportunity for employment comes up. I also commend the work of the National Employment Centre, especially Mr. Vili Baledrokadroka for continuing to create the relevant enabling environment for would-be workers in readiness for their entry into the world of work. The preparatory programmes which appeared in your weekend issue of the Fiji Sun is commendable. I had the opportunity of working with Vili when I used to chair the Human Resources Planning Committee (HRPC) of government some years ago and I can vouch that he is very qualified in this field. However, what is being done by Vili and his department is only one part of the equation. The other part is the employment itself or in other words the ‘supply and demand’ equation. The Centre and the training institutions are responsible for the ‘supply’ and the labour market (formal & informal) determines the ‘demand’ side. Whilst the government can control the ‘supply’ side of the labour market, it however cannot control the ‘demand’ side, for it is determined by external factors like the labour market forces, investments, economic environment, etc. For this reason I had suggested in my previous article that Fiji must look to the international labour markets for employment opportunities. It can pursue this strategy vigorously using its bilateral and multilateral channels with other countries. Through their own initiatives the nurses, the care givers, security personnel, doctors, engineers etc. are already plying their trades and skills in foreign labour markets and the remittances Fiji is receiving from them is substantial. The government can fast-track this strategy if our overseas trade delegations through trade missions negotiate for possible overseas labour markets as well as with overseas investors. This concept will demand a high level of knowledge and skills from the ‘supply’ side (universities and tertiary institutions) thus creating a situation where ‘brain drain’ will no longer be an issue and Fiji’s skilled manpower will become an export commodity, and consequently improve our economic wellbeing. Kolinio Meo Suva
Posted on: Wed, 02 Jul 2014 18:51:44 +0000