Fiji to send more workers to Papua New Guinea

In 2014, rugby League Team Gulf Isapeas signed
signed several Fijian players to play for them. 

Fiji could send more workers to Papua New Guinea to work as teachers, nurses, doctors, tradespeople and even rugby players, the Fiji Times reports.. There is a high demand in PNG's Gulf Province in different trades and Fiji is looking at ways to send  more workers to work in those fields.In 2013 Fiji's Ba Provincial Council and the PNG's Gulf province signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring Fiji workers to PNG. It is understood , if the signed Memorandum of Understanding between the Ba Provincial Council and the Gulf Province gets the nod from iTaukei Affairs Board chairman and Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, more Fiji workers will come to work in PNG.

Fiji Times reports,  Roko Tui Ba Josoko Toganivalu at the provincial council national workshop in Labasa, he said the MOU was signed in 2013.

Mr Toganivalu said it was signed when the province was under the chairmanship of the late Tui Tavua, Ratu Jale Kuwe.

His passing away resulted in a halt in the discussions, but this month officials from the Gulf Province visited the council executives again in Lautoka asking them to make the MOU happen.

"So we have started talks again and once our board chairman approves, the officials will return to Fiji to formalise everything," Mr Toganivalu said.

He added that the Gulf Province wanted teachers, health workers, nurses, rugby players and tradespeople. Mr Toganivalu said everything would be finalised once Mr Bainimarama gave his approval as the iTaukei Affairs Board chairman.

The approval was imperative because the MOU was signed with the province of Ba.

"And because of this, it has to go through the iTaukei Affairs Board to dissect and approve (it)," Mr Toganivalu said.

"When that happens then we will move on to the Ministry of Labour for further discussions about recruitment processes and conditions. We will come to this stage but all we need now is the approval of the iTaukei Affairs Board because the province of Ba will recruit the workers for PNG.

"We will open up the recruitment process to all other 13 provinces in the country because there is a demand for workers at the Gulf State."