Jobs hope resting on new mines

By JASON DOM
While there is not much hope of finding jobs for the 15,000 grade 12 students who leave school every year, a senior government official is hoping the opening of new mines will provide some relief.
“We have 15,000 grade 12 school leavers who are left out because of limited space and the industries should create jobs for them,” said Jerry Wemin, the president of the Papua New Guinea Human Resource Institute, at the human resources annual conference in Port Moresby.
“It’s a tough time,”
Wemin is hopeful that new mining projects at Wafi-Golpu, the second phase of OK Tedi, and the Total gas project will help provide the jobs needed to cater for the thousands of young people coming out of secondary schools every year and looking for work.
There is also expected growth in the agriculture and infrastructure sectors, he said.
He said the Bank of Papua New Guinea has indicated a slight increase in unemployment, especially with the public service cutting back on recruitment, however, there has been some improvement in the private sector.
The employment market are getting tighter and people should take up any work available or start their own small business, he said.
Wemin warned that the economy would remain sluggish and that would affect employment opportunities, at least for the foreseeable future.
His views match an Asian Development Report which forecast a “relatively modest” economic growth this year, with an expected 3 per cent growth in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.
The Asian Development Outlook report was released last month.
While it forecast a boost from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings this year, it warned that February’s earthquake would hold back growth in oil and gas.
Continued difficulty in accessing foreign currency and fiscal constraints will also limit growth.
“The country’s largest mines are not expected to expand production significantly, but growth is expected at the Ramu NiCo mine and some smaller mining operations,” the report said.
The report made some positive forecast for coffee, depending on growing conditions, cocoa, copra and palm oil.