PNG Government pushes for refugee resettlement with training, work, visa
During an internal parliamentary session on Monday, Cabinet asked that Mr Pato finalize the ‘refugee status determinations’ so that refugees that are being kept at the Manus Regional Processing Centre can begin the process of being trained and helped into securing jobs in PNG.
The Immigrations Minister made it clear however, that this arrangement would not yet allow for the permanent resettling of refugees as yet as the perimeters for monitoring and controlling the process were still being fine tuned.
"These people will not yet be permanently resettled… while this policy is being redeveloped, genuine refugees will be given visas and moved from the Manus Regional Processing Centre to a new purpose-built facility in East Lorengau," Mr Pato.
It was disseminated that the new Australian-funded facility will be run by PNG's Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority and will be staffed by locals.
The Minister said that refugees will be given training in English, Tok Pisin and PNG culture at the East Lorangau facility but added that there were accountants, architects, engineers, teachers and other skilled people being detained who could have an equally influential impact on the country.
"If provinces outside of Manus tell us that they need skilled workers to help boost their local economies, then we will support refugees to fill those jobs while awaiting the resettlement policy," Mr Pato said.
The Minister also brought to attention the problem of what visa’s the refugees looking for jobs would use while pending the policy. “It is not clear what visas the refugees will be given, as PNG does not currently have a refugee visa,” he remarked.
No time frame was given for the refugee decisions or resettlement process.
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