Govt to secure well-paid overseas jobs: Ling-Stuckey

TREASURER Ian Ling-Stuckey says the Government will make sure that people travel abroad for well-paid jobs and to enhance their skills and experience.
He said there were about 130 seasonal workers engaged in Australia’s agriculture sector.
“One of Papua New Guinea’s richest assets is its people,” he said.
“The experience of other countries is that a key pathway to development is to harness this asset in ways that build opportunities for families as well as helping communities and our economy.
“Papua New Guinea can learn from the experiences of South Korea in the 1950s through to the Philippines of today about how best to use people.”
He said PNG could build enormous wealth in human and economic capital by engaging more in the labour markets around the world.
“To date, Papua New Guinea’s performance in harnessing labour mobility has been poor,” he said.
He said the Government would turn it around.
“Exposure to working in agricultural exporting countries like Australia and New Zealand can significantly develop the skills of our farming community and provide income to establish and expand their own operations when returning to Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“Labour mobility also provides a source of remittance to PNG to support families.
“Initial estimates suggest an individual province could receive up to K140 million a year in remittances, which will then be spent locally to contribute to goods and service tax revenues that can (benefit) provinces.”