 |
 |
 |
  |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Mr Taito Waqa Permanent Secretary for Labour and Industrial Relations Invited Quests, Participants and Organizers of the National Labour Market Information Symposium, It is my honor and privilege to open the first National Symposium on Labour Market Information this morning. I congratulate the driver of this symposium: the Integrated Human Resource Programme (IHRDP) through its sub programmes, Labour Market Information & Analysis - based at the Ministry of Labour, Advance Vocational Training based at the Ministry of Education and Coordination & Policy based at the Ministry of Finance & National Planning for having the foresight to organize this important symposium. More importantly to bring all stakeholders (Government/Employers & Unions) to discuss Labur Market Information at the National Level. I cannot stress enough the importance of Labour Market Information. Here are just some of the comments that have come to light in relation to our Labour Market Information situation in Fiji. 1. The ILO Report on “Skills Losses in Fiji" (2001) states that " Fiji's labour market supply and demand database and information system are highly underdeveloped, predominantly under managed and relatively distorted" 2. The Regional Expert Group Meeting on Labuor Market held in Suva on June 2007 resolved "Whilst there is a lot of information available in terms of Labour Supply, a notable absence in Labour Market Information is Labour Demand “ and 3. Fiji's Strategic Development Plan (2007-2011) states that "data on the labour force and employment is limited" Therefore, you can apprehend the enormous opportunities available for us to collect, manage, and share Labour Market Information and base sound business and National Economic & Development Polices for the Nation. Good and sound Labour Market Information practices allow for the design of effective national human resource development policies and initiatives. It allows our Education system to tailor educational and training curriculums to suit and be responsive to our national human resources needs. It also can assist the government machinery to re-align resources to develop skills that are in demand by the private and public sector. With high school drop outs, increased unemployment & poverty , increase in skills migration and economics down slow down, it is imperative to ensure that we establish and maintain a Robust, Useful and Updated Labour Market Information System. I understand that the ILO will present on “Best Practices on Labour Market Information”. This will greatly assist us in benchmarking and resolving to aspire to be able to employ such Labour Market Practices for Fiji. Professor Biman Prasad will also present a “Consultative report on the Labour Demand & Employment Opportunities Survey”. This will highlight the skills gap and our national labour demand for the next 4 years. I am certain that we all posses some sort of Labur Market Information in our Ministries, departments, organizations etc. And I am certain what information we don’t have, lies in the office computers and files and institutional knowledge of our staff. We must liberate this information and form mergers. Lets establish a repository of Labur Market Information where we all can contribute, update, analys and make policy decisions. This will help in addressing many issues such as unemployment, skills losses/gaps, poverty, quality education etc. I challenge you participants to take a step in rectifying the some of the comments put forward by reports on the Fiji Labour Market Information System. I thank the organizers for inviting me and wish you well for the symposium. VINAKA |
|
|
 |
     |
