3 Jul 2008

PNG to revise colonoial-style publis sector pay system

3:10 pm on 3 July 2008

The Papua New Guinea government is to review the dual salary policy after more than 30 years of expatriates receiving better wages than locals for the same public sector jobs.

The PNG Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, has told Parliament he hopes the colonial-style pay system will be abolished this year.

Foreign workers have always received more pay than locals, especially after independence in 1975, but now skilled PNG workers are leaving the country in search of better pay.

PNG's Post-Courier newspaper reports Sir Michael saying, in response to questions about the country's brain drain, that the time has come, after 30 years, to review the salaries.

Sir Michael says the country has come to a stage where it can afford the higher wages and should be able to attract its own people to stay in the country.