A proposed awareness and recruitment drive by the Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) to Kirakira is postponed due to the delay in acquiring funds from the Government’s Finance Ministry. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade says they will liaise with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to prioritise the payment. In February 2023, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Collin Beck in a Press Conference told journalists, the Ministry plans to visit Makira, Temotu and Isabel provinces as part of their recruitment drive. He says the government wants to ensure that a fair distribution of employment opportunities is given to all the provinces and not just certain provinces. He said by doing this, it will also contribute to the development of the provinces, through remittances.
‘Which is why officers from the LMU will go out to these provinces’, Beck said.
LMU had earlier proposed an awareness and recruitment visit for Makira/Ulawa Province on the week of 27th February 2023. Temotu was identified on 6th March and Isabel on 13th March. Other provinces to be visited will be announced soon once plans and arrangements are confirmed.
The Provincial visits are an opportunity for the LMU to receive submissions from people in the provinces who are unable to travel to Honiara and to allow those who have applied in the past to follow up on their applications without having to travel to the capital’. Interested candidates from the provinces visited will be able to hand in their manual submissions to the LMU team with requirements for passport and police clearance to be relaxed. Applicants will be given time to follow up on these documents and submit at a later date.
The LMU is responsible for the selection, approval and managing team of recruiting agents for the Labour Mobility Scheme. The overarching role of the Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) is to uphold the system in accordance with the policy framework; provide leadership, coordinate stakeholders and act as the regulatory body for labour mobility schemes on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government.
A new date for the proposed program to the three provinces will be made known soon once funding is available. The Unit is apologizing to the people of these provinces for the delay.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade
