Kiribati pushes overseas job opportunities

[Stacey King]

Friday, 25 July 2008 00:00
Marianas News


TARAWA (Pacnews) — With limited job opportunities for I-Kiribati youth at home, President Anote Tong said his government’s top priority is expanding overseas employment opportunities, reports Pacific Magazine.

Tong acknowledged that the government cannot provide all school leavers and graduates with employment in Kiribati.

Finding employment for I-Kiribati youth is top on their list, and government is continuously searching abroad for available opportunities, Tong said.

“We plan to ask New Zealand to increase the number of our youth working under the NZ Pacific Access Category — picking fruits at orchards throughout New Zealand,” he said. More than a hundred I-Kiribati are working in New Zealand under this program started earlier in the year.

“We also plan to increase the number of our seamen working on foreign ships,” Tong said.

According to previous reports from the South Pacific Marine Service, which recruits seamen to work on German vessels, just over 900 I-Kiribati seamen are currently employed. The number of I-Kiribati employed on ships has dropped dramatically from over 2000 because many of them were dismissed for alcohol abuse, drug trafficking and other disciplinary actions.

At one stage SPMS decided to stop recruiting local seamen because of increasing problems with drinking, not attending work and increasing stabbing incidents aboard vessels.

The Kiribati leader said the government will liase with Australia to maintain and increase the number of I-Kiribati trainee nurses studying at various institutions in Australia.

“These nurses after graduating, can apply for jobs in Australia and can also apply for citizenship,” he said.

But Tong warned I-Kiribati youth, however, that all efforts will be in vain if they continue to abuse alcohol.

“In order to achieve our goal, we have to disassociate ourselves from alcohol and discipline ourselves,” he said. “Be obedient and think of our future and families.”