A team led by Minister for Health and Medical Services, Rosy Akbar, will leave soon to interview Indian medical specialists for positions here.

Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum confirmed this during the Budget Consultations at the University of the South Pacific yesterday.

He said: “Where past Governments failed in investing and human resources the FijiFirst Government is focused on it particularly in the field of specialisation in health sector.

“And to fill in the void that has existed in the health care system due to non investment by past Governments, health care specialists will be hired from abroad for now.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum gave details about how they intended to get health care specialists to Fiji to better health care system.

Accompanying Ms Akbar will be her Permanent Secretary Philip Davies, Civil Service Permanent Secretary Bernadette Welch and senior doctors from Colonial War Memorial Hospital including Doctor James Fong. The Indian specialists will not only assist in improving our Fijian health care system but also mentor local doctors to ensure such a void does not exist in the future.

Minimum wage

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the minimum wage concept only applied to unskilled workers.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum responded to a question asked by a student who was eager to know what the future held for graduates from the university when the minimum wage was only $2.32.

Giving examples of unskilled workers such as housekeeping, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said he would not know how many people paid unskilled workers Fiji National Provident Fund. But it was important to understand that minimum wage didn’t apply to others like electricians as they had their own minimum wage.

Another concern raised was the Tertiary Education Loan Scheme and the Toppers Scholarship. A student informed the A-G that the TELS meal allowance of $50 per week was not enough.

A student from Tonga, however, acknowledged the Fijian Government for   the Toppers and student loan scheme scholarships for students in Fiji.

The regional student said Fiji was lucky to have a Government who provided such initiatives unlike other Pacific nations.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum responding to the question said, “Prior to this nobody had this TELS scholarship and nobody had meal allowance, but there are more students in Fiji that are getting assistance.”

He said there were around 16,000 students who were getting assistance.

Include mature students in TELS

The need to include mature students under the TELS programme was also raised at the Budget Consultations in Suva yesterday.

One consultation was held at USP while two were held at the Fiji National University campuses in Samabula and Nakasi.

Students wanted Government to consider an allocation that would support continuing studies for those who had joined the workforce.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said many people had raised the same issue adding that it was a good idea. However, he said it was important to know and understand whether this could be sustained.

Students also proposed the need to include certificate and diploma programmes.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it was important to understand whether the quality of the programmes had much integrity and credibility to get students into the workforce.

He said if the scholarship and loan schemes were offered to all certificate and diploma programmes then Government would also have to look into the Budget.

Edited by Naisa Koroi