Lots of mines starting up, one needs to ask, is PNG capable of providing the professional and experienced manpower to operate these mines? With the alarming number of profssionals currently leaving PNG's shores, this will be beyond our capabilities. Big brother Australia is picking up national experienced professionals left, right and center that there is currently a big gap. Professional and experienced, wise in the ever booming mining industry.

Yep! So many of them have moved over here to Western Australia, especially up North in the mines!

At least we know we have world class workers. What the government needs to do now is establish a system where knowlegde and experince from these overseas mine workers is transferable to the future generation of Papua New Guinea.

Ta

Oh yeah, we got world class workers here in PNG.What the government of the day needs to do is retain them in the country. Ponder on this; If a national engineer went down south or overseas for that matter and is earning a cool 450 grand per annum (about 15-17 grand a fortnight), and here I am in the country getting 1-2 grand a fortnight. What is the probability that I will leave PNG if offered a job overseas? I would say a 14/15 probability. Now digest this, an Australian engineer is still being paid more then our national bloke who is working alongside him in Australia. What is the great motivator in life? Our friend M O N E Y. I would say to the government of the day to put in place policies that will govern the mining companies to pay the professionals, say, a little over 15-16 grand a fortnight and let us see the results. Simple, the pay is good. Ol bai stap ya! Nogat ok, Australia, here I come. My opinion.

In reality, it is very difficult for the government to pay that kind of money to the mine workers here. The government could, however, introduce a policy to be adapted by Developers about salary levels etc.

I know that money is the primary motivator to look for greener pastures. However, there has to be some degree of patriotism and sense of responsibility for PNG's future for the international PNG workers to come back and try to instill knowledge back to the next *generation*, regardless of the money involoved.

regards
j

The same trend is happening in the medicine field.

The reality is that the government just can not afford to pay that much to drs or engineers. Its the same everywhere in the world! THe private industry always pays more than the government. Of course the other governments might pay a lot more than our government.

`Brain drain' was and is a well documented observation, well described, studied and much talked about phenomenon. The question has always been, `What can and should be done to combat this? The answers are numerous and I am sure, obvious to you all. But the reality has been that NOTHING, or if anything, VERY LITTLE has been done to combat this in other developing countries!

The end result is that developing countries has always suffered in terms of a chronic lack of well qualified and experienced human resources. The private enterprises and developed countries do not worry...they benefit enoumously by getting a well qualified professional without the cost of educating and training! Somtimes, however, they have been trained by schorlaships from the developed countries concerned.

Let me give an example by what is happeninng to drs in PNG.

The Australian government through its aid program in medicine helps trains specialist. Part of their training requires them to spent a few years in Aussie. After returning some go back to Aussie to work there. With or without specialist qualification. It is slowly happening to other allied health personal trained by Aussie aid money. Is PNG benefiting? You can answer that question!

To make matters worse, the PNG drs who work in Aussie and return to PNG after a fews to work in the public service are stigmatised and marginalised by other PNG drs. Is that the kind of attitude we want to portray to other trainees and undergraduates?

Let me make it clear! It is a personal choice to move overseas or work in PNG! No one, and I mean on one, should put pressure on another person who want to move. The choice and decision to stay in PNG and work regardless of the little pay compared to your collegues overseas MUST come from you and you alone, not because you are pressured by the government or collegues to stay. If you are forced to stay the result will be reflected in your work output because your productivity will drop. Generally a rebelious form of attitude will be observed in your work ethics. So let those who want to move, move and those who want to remain in PNG remain!

Combating `brain drain` can not and I believe will not be solved by the PNG government alone. Governments of developed countries (in this case Australia), private enterprises from overseas operating in PNG and the PNG government must come up with a policy that is beneficial to all, while stoping active massive brain drain. Otherwise, I am afraid if PNG government does it alone, it will be like trying to fill a leaking bucket!

I believe it is the advancement of ones mentality, attitude, phsycological advancement to the levels of ecstatic appreciation that has allowed that Papua New Guinea to obtain jobs overseas. We should encourage more Papua New Guineans to think along those levels and to apply for jobs overseas. If we have a good thought about it, their gain is everyones gain.

I think patriotism for PNG does not mean they should return. It means they should go out to the rest of the world and make PNG proud. A child in the villages will be inspired and that is all we ask to change PNG. Inspiration and Role models

That is what I am talking about.

Dr who,

That is the best professionals can do. That mentality is right and spot on. Many elites have the misconception that they have to remain in PNG and contribute to development of their places and the country as a whole, but that is only a sad scenario. When the things we can do are curtailed by socio-political barriers.

A better way to contribute is through being role models, go work overseas, while at the same time maximizing your earning potential, which of course trickles down to the village level as well. It is a win win situation this way then having to stay home and suffer with less pay, ineffective beuracratic system and not to mention the politics of wantokism etc that beset our best intentions. Actually you cannot do much then to sit back and suffer with the people. Is that any good?

450 thousand a year, not even the Prime Minister gets that sort of money. Most professional PNGeans are earning between $90,000 to $120,000 per year, plus the little extras. But remember when you are on that sort of money the tax rate is around 41%. The other things to consider living expenses are far greater in Australia than PNG.

But when u compare that to the exchange rate, the money is very good and most do send money home which indirectly supports family in communities.

Yes trutru...there has been heaps in WA lately coz of the mining industry boom.

Sounds like PNGeans are doing extremely well in the mining sector...I think there may be a chance for a fully owned PNG operated mining and exploration company in future. Or maybe there is already one...if yes...please let us know. It maybe a good investment.

Someone who is a true nationalist would not leave PNG's shores no matter how attractive might be an overseas offer.

A nationalist will do his best for himself and not be a burden to his country and land!!!!

A professional will leave PNG because of many reasons; some of which have already been stated:
Monetary/ Better Salary.
Better working conditions.
Advancement of education and quest for further learning.
Seeing other parts of the world and travel.
Education for their children.
Marital obligations.
ETC.
There is nothing much one can do about brain drain. It is the right of the individual to choose where he/she wants according to what satisfies him/her. If one is forced to do a job or work where he/she does not want to then the quality and quantity of the product is poor. Time and money is thus wasted on this otherwise useful resource.
One thing the government needs to look at is: keep a database of how many professionals are leaving the country and plan for increased numbers of these professionals.
It does not matter if they leave, as remittances they send back home are great.

Eg: Phillipines has a policy of training a very large number of nurses because they are a much sought after commodity on the international market (nurses). They have learnt that a lot of their nurses leave to work overseas, but they have also realised that the remittances of these overseas workers sent back is HUGE.

Mi pulim stori...over to you guys.

Hey kedz, I have been reading about that too.

Since most our drs are looking for jobs in Aussie, UPNG should consider this. Drs and nurses for export!

The time is right and the opportunity is there for the government to start training more ppl for the jobs to fill the gap within the country.

Unless the government starts to provide training in all sorts of jobs there will be a skills shortage in years down the track.

Another problem...There is a shortage of Trainers...Consider UPNG..there is absolutely no scheme to retain the best academics.

True too.....same things happening in Unitech I suppose after speakin to one dem potential lecturers who was undergoin training. Case been mis-management of funds which is under investigation. I think there are schemes in place there but in most instances the academics still will leave because of the greatest motivator of em all...MONEY. The money issue is taking its toll. Pay em well they'll stay...otherwise move to where the money is right...bottom line, money, money, money....

motivation from money is no true! I think its for only those people who want more, people who want more are usually people who spend big. Its more job satisfaction and greater challengers that good people.

PNG official slams Ramu living arrangements: report


Tuesday, 6 February 2007

PNG Labour and Industrial Relations Secretary David Tibu has renewed threats to close the 143 million tonne Ramu nickel-cobalt development if working conditions are not improved dramatically, according to a report in the Post-Courier newspaper.

Tibu said the kitchen and eating arrangements were not fit for pigs, and living arrangements pointed to discrimination between Chinese and PNG nationals.

Ramu is 85% owned by China Metallurgical Construction Group and is scheduled to come online in 2009.

At present, employees were living in makeshift tents, had poor diets and, until recently, were paid with rice and tinned fish in lieu of overtime.

PNG nationals were forced to use open latrines while Chinese nationals used enclosed flushing toilets.

The Labour Department has insisted proper toilets were erected with reasonable privacy; tents that flood when it rains are to be replaced with quality accommodation for both PNG and Chinese nationals; a better diet than tinned fish and rice is provided; caterers are employed to prepare meals rather than villagers; employees are insured; and proper equipment is supplied.

Tibu will inspect the mine again "soon" to see if the owner is delivering on its promises of improved conditions, according to the Post-Courier.
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This is truely a disgrace...over to all the nationals who shoot overseas

Ramu smells fishy to local tuna business


Thursday, 8 February 2007

CHINA Metallurgical Construction Group's (MCC) 143 million tonne Ramu nickel-cobalt project has made the local PNG press for the wrong reasons yet again, this time with concerns raised over the development's effect on the Madang fishing industry.

Australian environmental expert Clement Kunandi Victor has completed a study on the effect the Ramu operation was likely to have on the economic viability of local cannery, RD Tuna.

The study concluded pollution to the Basamuk Bay would result in increased operating costs and lower market prices for the RD tuna product, according to local newspaper, the Post-Courier.

MCC has been granted approval to build the Ramu refinery next at Basamuk Bay and pump its tailings through a pipeline into the seafloor at a depth of 150m.

Victor said the movement of deeper ocean water to the surface caused by the tailings disposal could raise tailings to shallower and biologically productive levels of the sea to be consumed by fish, which would pass the toxins up the food chain when consumed by larger fish.

He said the species most likely to be affected in deeper waters was tuna.

Post-Courier also reported that muddied and murky waters would drive away commercially valuable fish species.

"Plume shearing has a potential to disrupt the migrations or to have an impact on spawning or nursery grounds of the tuna species," Victor said.

"Worst of all, the tailings would kill off benthic organisms, a major part of the ocean food chain. Those not killed off would become contaminated."

He said RD Tuna would need to put more effort in to catch less tuna, which would increase its costs and reduce its production.

International markets were also likely to be wary of the quality of production, given the pollution in the area and therefore the price paid for RD Tuna product would possibly drop.

MCC has not been required to alter any of its operational specifics in relation to its tailings disposal.