Fiji’s Minister for Infrastructure, Ro Filipe Tuisawau

Fiji’s Minister for Infrastructure, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, says it is becoming harder to combat the labor demand in Australia and New Zealand.

Like other sectors facing the migration of skilled labor, Ro Filipe confirms that the infrastructure sector has also not been spared.

Ro Filipe says his ministry is focusing on creating an environment that will help retain workers.

He adds that they are also working closely with the Ministry of Education on promoting technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

“One of the main problems was the closure of the technical colleges and the lack of replacement programs at FNU and the lack of uptake right now, so it’s the supply of skills and also the current situation we face in terms of the supply and demand of labor.”

Ro Filipe says the Education Ministry is now re-assessing whether the technical colleges should be brought back.

The Ministry looks after two of the largest workforces in the country, which are water and roads, and the Minister admits that there is worker migration happening in those two workforces.