2 Nov 2005

Fiji opposition support Australian proposal for new technical college in the Pacific

11:25 am on 2 November 2005

Fiji's opposition leader has welcomed a proposal by the Australian prime minister, John Howard, to set up a technical and vocational college in the Pacific.

Mahendra Chaudhry says the need for more technical and vocational training in Fiji was one of the subjects he had discussed with the Australian foreign minister, Alexander Downer, during his recent visit to Suva.

Mr Chaudhry says an institute based on Australian standards will help to ease the heavy pressure on the Fiji Institute of Technology and provide much needed skills for young people.

He says it will also go someway in offsetting the high immigration of Fiji's skilled and professional people to Australia over the years.

A report just released by the World Bank says Australia is one of the largest beneficiaries of the global brain drain.

Fiji has lost 62 of its graduates in that brain drain, mostly to Australia and New Zealand, while the loss from Tonga and Samoa has been as high as 89%.