Govt notes need to improve labour market: Steven

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Government recognises the need to improve labour market flexibility while maintaining adequate worker protection and enforcing the laws, acting Prime Minister Davis Steven says.
He told the Pacific Tripartite high-level forum on Friday at the International Convention Centre in Port Moresby that the vision to “take back PNG” and the declaration on good governance and emphasis on economic policy was a timely intervention.
“Our national constitution expresses in the national goals and directive principles emphasis on developing our people – integral human development,” Steven said.
He welcomed the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) participation.
“The National Executive Council in 2010 had accepted the decent work national development policy as a guide,” Steven said.
“With the other planning documentations including the medium term development plan three we have the framework to move forward.”
ILO director-general Guy Ryder said it was important to recognise the circumstances which demanded practical responses.
“It may be that this visit and my presence is making history but that’s not what matters,” Ryder said.
“The International Labour Organisation’s coming together here makes a difference. The opportunity is here.
“I think that we need to all be conscious of the need to make this event a moment when the ILO and our tripartite community of governments, employers and workers in the pacific reflect together in a strategic way about how to meet the very pressing challenges of the world of work today.”
He said the Pacific was the youngest member with Fiji being the first to join in 2000 followed by PNG a few years later.