Comments

I am interested to learn more about a 'workable better-managed, corrupt-free system' as I deal with a lot of under-educated or less privileged youths both male and female who come from broken homes or orphanages in giving them an opportunity to earn and second chance in life.

The program is an excellent idea and a very effective way to help both Australia and the workers’ families back in the Islands. However, there are far too many issues that must be effectively sorted out to stop the following from happening: 1) certain approved employers from exploiting the workers 2) employees from absconding I dare say that most workers who have left the program have legitimate reasons to do so. I know for a fact that and for a long time now that these workers had reasons such as the following: 1) not enough work for too long 2) not enough work hours - often less than 30 hours a week as promised 3) work related injuries and were refused opportunities to seek medical assessment 4) too many deductions 5) bullying at work by employers, supervisors or team leaders who work closely with employers 6) laborious work for very little pay 7) unfair treatment by employers The greedy approved employers continue to get away with and practically allowed to exploit the Pacific Island workers. I hereby plead with the government to employ efficient strategies to ensure exploitation of workers be stopped immediately. Comment: Having the safety net capped at $250 is a better idea rather than leaving workers high and dry like the case has been and still is. However, it is crucial that the government must have effective strategies in place to monitor, check and ensure that all approved employers are abiding by the rules and deed of agreement. Otherwise, policy reform and all attempts to improve the scheme is in vain, a total waste of money, time and energy. I could go on for days about this so if anyone is serious about helping the workers, please listen and do something about it. I am happy to be contacted.

It will not be easy to stop round log exports given the government's recent behaviour. In the middle of the 2022 National General election, the Minister for Forest and the Forest Board issued two (2) FMA permits to Timbers PNG Limited. The permits are over Ramu FMA Block 2 and Ramu FMA Block 3. The Minister and the Forest Board granted the timber permit without adequate completion of the prerequisites to issuing a timber permit, a requirement generally known as the Thirty-four (34) steps for processing timber permits.

Hi John The Pacific Urban Partnership website has a call for expressions of interest to host PUF in 2023. You might like to check there for contact details: https://pacificurbanpartnership.org/call-for-expressions-of-interest-to-host-the-sixth-pacific-urban-forum-2023/

Sir, thank you so much for sharing this about the work you are doing to review the Central Bank Act 2002. It is with great assurance to know as well that you are part of the team that had actually put together this Act in the first place, because you will be in a better position to provide sound advice to the government on its outcomes and impacts. There are many things to say about Sir Mekere; quoting your word, he had in fact achieve great within a short period of them. Two key elements of his strategy I note was; security and stability. He secure our financial sectors throughs reforms and in this way it creates stability and good governance within our financial sector, particularly the Central Bank. I hope he could have more time, and I wonder what could happened to the state of our economy if he had that chance. But he left behind his legacies, which you are part of, so I belief the outcome of the review will continue this key elements and improve on other areas going forward.

Can someone direct me to the person in charge of Pacific Urban forum and the official address, especially the email address. Thank you John Dege Papua New Guinea

Hello Rochelle, The notion of a full-service provision for migrants is being very successfully implemented under the PALM scheme with Nambucca Valley Care in NSW and the Rotary Club of Nambucca Valley partnership. The RCNV provides mentoring and support while the group of 19 workers from Fiji is employed by NVC. I would be keen to discuss this further with you.

Great piece, Alice. Thanks for sharing!

Dear Paul McPhun Thank you very much for this timely article on the Rohingya issue in this global platform — The DEVPOLICYBLOG. The government of Bangladesh has sheltered the Rohingyas for years. In the post-pandemic period, low remittance income and huge import payments indicate that our foreign reserves are in dire condition. Latest available data from the IMF, Bangladesh’s total international reserves are around $27.5 billion (based on International Statistical Definitions) — this is the lowest figure in the last few years, which can meet our import expenses for only three months. Recently, Russia’s war in Ukraine has harmed our food and energy products. Already the increase in commodity prices is having a fatal effect on the life and livelihood of the country’s common people. Our economy as a whole is very troubled. FAO and WFP fear Bangladesh as one of the possible famine-stricken countries in 2023. Though our government got approved for IMF loans of; US$ 1.3 billion under the resilience and sustainability facility and US$ 3.2 billion under the extended fund facility, at the end of the day— our hardworking people have to pay the price. On the other hand, some fundamentalist groups are engaged in attempts to use the Rohingya group to carry out subversive activities across the country. All in all, the Rohingya issue is like the poison that boils on our bodies, which made our people even angrier against them. Despite having many limitations, we, the Bengali nation have taken responsibility for a long time, so, how many more days will share their burden? Now is the demand of time to resettle the Rohingyas in several other suitable places outside Bangladesh. Regards from Bangladesh.

Hi Mark, As we mention in the report (https://rdinetwork.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Ethics-Requirements-for-Research-Publication-FINAL.pdf) you can get ethics approval usually through Universities or there are a couple of private companies, but it is an expensive and time consuming process! It may be enough to go through an ethical review and ethical risk assessment within your organisation or get together a consultative group for a peer review, the RDI Network has also developed an ethical practice training module and Starter Kit, which could help you frame how you do a ethical review, which you can find on the website (https://rdinetwork.org.au/resources/research-ethics-practice/)

Thanks my sister if anything else let me know coz I really need a job like that....

Thank you for this. I have heard about Ethics approval here and there and like it. This article of yours tried to answer a question I was trying to ask if it would be best to get approval from an Ethics committee to do a social mapping exercise which I was requested by a neighboring village group. Experiences in involvement with community forestry for more than 20 years enable me to conduct a social mapping for them with a report. Please share your thoughts by replying if I can get approval as an independent guy? Where and how?