The Business Forum and the Chinese

Yesterday was the second day of the 25th Papua New Guinea Australia Business Forum, held here in Madang. The very last session of the day included a presentation by Dr Rona Nadile, the First Asst Secretary of the Dept of Labour and Industrial Relations, speaking about PNG's new work permit laws.  Lots of info on relaxed requirements for foreign workers, etc, and yet at one point she noted that there is a new language requirement to foreign work permits: they must be able to speak English, Tok Pisin or Hiri Motu, and be accredited as such by an independent agent. When I asked afterwards how it is that we have a major resource extraction project in Madang where most of its foreign workers speak no English and have abandoned English tutorials that were offered by Divine Word University, and considering that some of the violence sparked over the last week was said to have arisen from complaints that Chinese do not even speak English-----she was incredibly candid, to her credit. Before the entire forum, she explained that when these work permits came across her desk she was told that the PM's Department wanted her to 'make it happen' and issue all work permits for MCC employees. A collective gasp and giggle could be heard across the room.

 

At another point in the point in the Forum, I will just add, Richard Kassman made a statement couched in a question for two Australian environmental consultants who had just presented breathtakingly dense and naively optimistic power points on carbon trade initiatives (and the investment opportunities they represent). Richard was responding to the breezy way they had noted the 'mosaic of landowner agreements' that would have to be established within this vibrant economic environment, saying they were confident that Sir Michael was such a strong proponent of carbon trading, and the REDD strategy (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), that with such government backing, surely there would be few if any problems.(!)

 

Richard asked fort clarification (which didn't come) by stating that (more or less) 'You have no idea about

Papua New Guinea, and the fact that the timber industry runs the country now!' Scattered applause and murmurs all around, with Henry Kila and the rest of the Business Council stifling laughter, and someone in the peanut gallery behind me adding "RH and MCC run the country!"

 

Very good session I'd say. Surpassed only by drinks later when John Leahy of the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce said to me---Hey, do you really think Somare would force the Chinese into anything for their work permits when they promise something like 1! billion kina worth of investment here? It's not like they're bozos, this is the Chinese government we’re talking about. 

 

Not bozos? I asked John. We both shook our heads. I reached for another slice of beautiful sashimi tuna, thanks to Pete Celso of RD Tuna and a small army of masked RD slicers and handlers, no doubt the easier option than (what they actually market) a hundred tins of low grade tuna swimming in oil or tomato sauce. 

 

Of course the absolute highlight of the Forum was Monday night's dinner speech by Sean Dorney, too hilarious to do justice to here, but comparing and contrasting the different kinds of deportation strategies deployed byFiji and PNG. One involves a hasty fraught trip to the airport, and the other a series of warning motions, and polite deferrals, before being invited back and awarded an MBE. 

Today's National newspaper:

Permit fiasco

*Rules ‘bent’ for mining project*

By BARNABAS ORERE PONDROS in Madang
CHINESE nationals employed by the Ramu nickel mine were issued work permits despite not meeting Papua New Guinea’s labour laws which stipulate that all non-citizens must be proficient in English.
Department of Labour and Industrial Relations acting executive manager for employment promotion Dr Rhonda Nadile revealed this yesterday at the 25th Australia-PNG Business Council forum in Madang.
She said despite strong opposition from the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations over the legality of the issue, the National Government directed the department to issue the permits “because the agreement has been signed to develop the Ramu nickel project”.
According to Dr Nadile, the National Government overlooked the labour laws because the Ramu nickel project was far more important.
Dr Nadile said “under Labour laws, all non-citizens must be proficient in English before being issued work permits”.
However, a special allowance was made for Chinese employees of the Ramu nickel project.
“I must be frank with you that we followed Government directives to issue the work permits,” she said when responding to questions raised by forum participants.
Dr Nadile said if the department tried to question or oppose the issuance of work permits, the applicants only go higher up, “even to the Prime Minister’s office”.
She explained that to address the language barrier between the Chinese and nationals, the National Government had signed an agreement for the Chinese to undertake English language studies at the Divine Word University.
However, sadly, this has not transpired.
The National Government is now in the process of signing another agreement to teach the Chinese employees how to speak English.
“Language is an important aspect in employment but, at this point, there are huge problems trying to solve this issue with the Chinese at the project,” she said.
Dr Nadile’s presentation at the forum was about Papua New Guinea’s new Labour and work permit laws.

 

 

 

 

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