Gov’t ‘actively’ exploring importation of skilled foreign workers – President

With the rapid expansion of the economy, the Private Sector has experienced difficulties in sourcing skilled workers and President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday said the Government is “actively” addressing the issue.

“The issue of skilled labour has to be further discussed with both the private sector and labour as a matter of urgency,” President Ali declared on Tuesday while speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Private Sector Commission.

In fact, Ali said over time, the government will have to look towards the importation of labour.

“Upon assuming office, we took steps to train persons. Now the rate of development has outstripped the rate of new skilled entrance into the labour market. We are actively addressing this issue,” Ali said.

“Over the long term and as our economy grows further, we will have to look towards the importation of skilled labour. Our population is much too small to sustain an economy which has tripled in size in recent years,” he added.

According to Ali, the Government is also “keenly” aware that the shortage has led to increase in cost of skilled labour and is concerned that this could lead to increase in project costs.

“The pace of economic development, particularly the massive transformative projects which are being undertaken, including within the private sector, there would have been an increase demand for skilled labour,” Ali said.

Equally, he said all possible adjustments were made to address the “steep” rise in the cost for construction material.

To this end, Ali said the Government has to further engage the Private Sector and the labour authorities on the way forward.

“… We have envisaged that this problem would have arisen but we have not catered for it arising at the pace at which it has arisen….”