Traders want a brake

on PNG localisation

The Associated Chambers of Commerce in PNG wants to put a brake on the speed of “localisation” and plans to meet the Labour Minister to discuss the problems it believed were occurring from excessively-rapid localisation.

The president, Mr Tim Leahy, said he believed the Department of Labour had been forcing localisation at an excessive rate. The result had been gross inefficiency in government administration and in private enterprise. It had also forced the closure of a number of companies which were unable to handle the work they were supposed to do because the government made them employ semi-trained local workers.

Mr Leahy said that from all points of view, localisation was desirable and necessary but it should not be forced beyond the pace which society and the community could stand. Present policies suggested localisation was being carried out merely to satisfy certain unrealistic targets set by the Department of Labour.