Kameli Batiweti

The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation has labelled the 2022/23 National Budget as fair.

Chief Executive, Kameli Batiweti, says this will see the implementation of incentives to slow down the “brain drain”.

Batiweti says this was the right thing to do as Fiji has faced a serious dearth in some professions.

Universities and other institutions will now ramp up their programmes to be able to address the shortages that exist in several sectors.

Batiweti says many overseas countries are poaching skilled workers from developing countries like Fiji, which the government intends to address.

“There are a lot of skills that are being outsourced. They are leaving for other countries around the world. Everyone is suffering with the same issue. We just need to strengthen the skills capacity building to be able to ensure that whatever people are retained are up to the same calibre of people that the country has lost due to skills migration.”

Batiweti says that through training and programmes, Fijians will be able to fill the current gaps in the labour market.

Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says they are committed to filling the gaps, which will be done through enhancing access to education for the current labour force.

Sayed-Khaiyum says they have also allocated $2 million for the “Stronger Together” Job Support Scheme.