By Viliame Tikotani
THE People's Coalition Government’s plan to revitalise the shipbuilding industry marks a bold and strategic move for the country and the region during this time.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s call to rebuild the industry will benefit the country through the creation of new employment opportunities and build a new crop of skilled workers in the country.
Ship building resonates well with Fiji in that the industry was significant and popular in its days at the Suva shipyard in that it created employment opportunities for blue-collar employment under the Government Apprenticeship Scheme.
“In those days the vocational students from TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) colleges could easily land a job at the old ship-yard assisting with the work of building ships before they’d move to find employment at the Public Works Department at Walu Bay which was close-by,” Navitalai Ratukalou, a retired shipwright said.
“The old Suva Shipyard was a significant source of skills training and specialisation for the nation, in particular, for welders, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, draftsmen and administrators,”PM Rabuka, the line Minister for Public Enterprises, said.
Fiji Ships and Heavy Industries Limited (FSHIL) operations supervisor, Samuela Vasukira said, “The Government’s decision will augur well with the current operations of the company”.
FSHIL, which a subsidiary of Fiji Ports Corporation, is in the business of boat and ship repairs and maintenance also recruits apprentices under the national apprenticeship scheme.
“At the moment, we are focusing on repairs and maintenance jobs and we have to start with ship building in Fiji,” Mr Vasukira said.
Mr Vasukira is optimistic that this initiative will seek to foster local aspirations by stimulating the demand for new trades and craftsmanship within the shipbuilding sector, and even tapping into a significant economic opportunity for Fiji.
“During those days, we used to employ as many as 200-300 workers during the process of building a ship,” he said.
“Most came through the apprenticeship scheme across the different trades and specialisation.”
Mr Vasukira said ship repair alone is a gold mine and by investing in this industry, the Government is poised to create numerous jobs and opportunities across a variety of skilled trades.
“Since the Government Shipyard days which ended around the 1999-2000 era much of the tradesmen and skill sets needed for the work has been lost.”
“But with the Government's move now, professions such as blacksmiths, boilermakers, shipwrights, fabricators, welders, joiners, plumbers, engineers, fitters, machinists, and electricians will see renewed demand.”
Mr Vasukira said additionally, the need for timber specialists, joiners, carpenters, and fiberglass technicians will further strengthen the workforce.
Mr Ratukalou said, “During our time we built the Reef Endeavor but at that time also we used to get a lot of tradesmen coming through the apprenticeship and also because we had PWD and we used to get a lot of tradesmen with the right skillset for ship building like carpenters, blacksmiths, boilermakers, shipwrights, fabricators, welders, joiners, plumbers, engineers, fitters, machinists, and electricians”.
However, Mr Vasukira says that as it stands, many of these skilled trades are becoming increasingly scarce due to the retirement of experienced tradespeople and the outmigration of younger, skilled workers seeking more lucrative employment opportunities abroad.
“In fact we don’t have a lot of them around because of the long layoff of the business in Fiji and we will need to breed new ones and it is indeed creation of new employment opportunities for the young people nowadays.”
FSHIP is continuing to employ through the apprenticeship scheme with four recent appointments bringing joy to the new recruits and their parents and guardians.
Head of School at the Pacific Centre for Maritime Studies, Captain Tevita Robanakavu is also a retired shipwright and ship captain.
Captain Tevita also agrees that this revitalisation effort aims to not only preserve these vital skills but also encourage the next generation of tradesmen and tradeswomen to pursue careers in shipbuilding and repair.
“We will need to have more trained personnel in this field to be able to meet the requirements and demands for shipbuilding”.
“It will mean a relook and review of the curriculum which currently offers training in ship repairs and maintenance.
Capt Tevita is a product of the Fiji Government Shipyard who in his time built the three vessels the Kautoni, Yaubula and Cagi Donu, which serviced the maritime zone along with other government vessels to transport people and produce to Suva.
He has also proposed to the Prime Minister that a four-year training programme aimed at developing a highly skilled workforce across the various trades essential for shipbuilding .
“The proposed programme is designed to prepare trainees to be job ready by the end of the training period, aligning with the shipyards operational readiness.
“The Government Ship Yard was once a cornerstone of Fiji’s shipbuilding industry, faced critical challenges with the end of contracts to more that 250 workers in 1992 and since then only 20per cent of the original workforce remains but these individuals are largely beyond retirement age.”
By investing in this training program, Captain Tevita feels it will ensure that longterm sustainability and success of the shipyard, providing valuable contributions to the Fiji maritime industry.
Captain Tevita’s proposal falls into same line with Government’s plan which gave the greenlight in May this year to engage the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) to facilitate the tender and selection process for a consultant to conduct a feasibility study at a grant of up to AU$1 million (FJ$1.4million) for a new shipbuilding facility in Fiji.
“We also met twice with the consultants regarding the feasibility study which will focus on the existing Government Shipyard and a potential site in Lautoka, and recommend the most suitable site for a new shipyard for Fiji.
The engagement of the AIFFP is part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Australia and the Government of Fiji for port infrastructure and services which includes the development of the shipbuilding sector.
PM Rabuka said his administration is ready to revive the ship building and strengthen ship repair services.
“The Coalition Government is currently revising what has been done in the past and reviewing the opportunity in ship repair and ship building,” he said.
“There are huge opportunities for us in that sector and there are giants in the Asian region that are willing to cooperate with us.”
“We have the opportunity and the potential to once again be the hub of ship repair, ship building in the region,” PM Rabuka added.