Employment in PNG

The National Letters

SEEKING employment in Papua New Guinea these days is very tough.
It will take you years to achieve, even though it is now over 40 years since we gained independence.
They are two things that I have in mind:

  •  Limited jobs; and
  •  Nepotism.
    In terms of employment creation, is our Government seriously taking this as a matter of concern?
    Do we have laws in place that protect certain position to be reserved and occupied only by Papua New Guineans? Do we have compulsory laws in place for all companies operating in PNG to recruit all tertiary pass-outs and give them some form of training before seeking or continuing with permanent employment?
    Does our Government have a dream to build more factories or create employment to absorb increasing number of yearly graduates?
    Many of our very own citizens who’ve finished lower secondary, upper secondary, colleges and universities – some even with masters and PhDs – are still struggling to find decent and permanent jobs.
    Let’s create a level playing field for all of us to participate, and not let foreigners dominate top jobs.
    We are finding ourselves as cheap labourers in our own land.

Hanam Bill Sandu
Concerned citizen
Lae