Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh

The Employment Ministry is planning to expand the pre-departure training program under the Pacific Labor Mobility scheme.

Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh reveals that the initiative aims to better prepare workers before they leave for overseas jobs and will help address the challenges and support the families left behind.

Recently, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands participated in a seminar that focused on the challenges posed by labor mobility and its concerning impact on children.

Singh emphasizes the importance of involving various stakeholders and calls for increased participation of faith-based organizations, parents, and children who will be affected by their parent’s absence due to work commitments.

“And then the entire Pacific coming with a single voice, the labor-sending countries coming with a single voice in terms of improving the terms and conditions and making sure that the children that are left behind are taken proper care of.”

Singh stresses the need to prioritize children’s welfare while their parents are away.

“We intend to include in our program and improve on our care for the children back at home when they are left with other caregivers or relatives to ensure that they are fully protected and that their development, their mental status, their schooling, and their well-being are all properly taken care of.”

This effort highlights the government’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of families affected by labor mobility.