Localisation Backlash

The Fiji Government has a brain-drain pro lem. The brains are those of their best men i the civil service and the drain is into the rivate business sector.

If the drain goes on, says Fiji Public Scr ee Commission chairman Mr Joseph Sykes, vil service efficiency will suffer.

Since independence in 1970. Fiji has lost some F its top civil servants to big business, which Ters financial rewards much higher than those : government. About two months ago, Mr harles Walker, Secretary for the Public Ser ce, and rated among the best of the “locals”, ft the government service after 20 years, join g the Carpenter organisation as personnel anager.

Earlier this year Mr Mosese Qionibaravi the ;cretary for Commerce, resigned to join Naviti ivestments Ltd, and Mr Lionel Yee, a com iter expert, is joining the Fiji Times and Her d group in the semor post of manager-Fiji.

To get a highly-qualified “local”, private firms e offering salaries undreamed of before in ;pendence and the reason isn’t far to seek— e government’s own policy of localisation and e work permit system which makes it diffi ilt for the commercial sector. Rather than ffer the ordeal of filling out 90-odd questions an application for a permit for an expatriate, en waiting on tenterhooks for months :fore getting the permit, and then sing him eventually when his permit has ex red, firms are looking around for suitable local ople. Which is the reason behind the permit stem anyhow.

It seems the government is hoist by its own ;tard, and will continue to be so unless it Fers more money.

Islanders got together in Sydney at a social even [?] g held by the Polynesian Association of Sydney, pictured top are (centre) Mrs Olga Page, the club's [?]ieftainess, with friends Mrs Logo Belle Kamper and husband Karl, who hails from Germany. Mrs Page and Mrs Kemper are from Apia. From left in the [?]wer picture are Hugh Ormsby, of Te Kuiti, NZ, [?]iss Ruth Franheim, of Mauke and Rarotonga in the [?]ooks, and Louis Maestracci, formerly of Noumea.