Praneeta Prakash 
[Source: Fiji Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations/ Facebook]
The Government is committed to balancing labour mobility and its impacts.
Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Agni Deo Singh made the remarks at the 111th International Labour Conference in Geneva.
Singh says a crucial issue that Fiji faces is the phenomenon of labour mobility, which entails both opportunities and risks.
He says while it benefits workers, it also causes brain drain and loss of skilled labour.
Singh says they are concerned that these can hamper Fiji’s development, social cohesion, and national identity.
“We are implementing policies and programmes to retain and attract skilled workers, enhance their employability and productivity, and ensure their protection and welfare. And we are working closely with our tripartite partners and stakeholders in those endeavours. We value our people. We value their rights as enshrined under the Constitution and also under the ILO conventions ratified by Fiji.”
Singh says the government is working towards the re-establishment of tripartite wages councils to determine minimum wages for different sectors of the economy.
He says the industry-based councils will work on a tripartite basis with representatives from Government, unions and employers and their main goal will be to determine a decent minimum wage for the different sectors.
The Employment Minister adds that Fiji is resolved to working closely with the ILO and its tripartite constituents to achieve decent work for all.
He says they are committed to addressing the concerns raised by the committee of experts and plan to submit their report by September.
