Suva, Jul 15 (IANS): Fiji needs to enhance human resources and equipment to meet the growing employment demands from various institutions struggling with a shortage of skilled workers, particularly operators and trade professionals.

Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau made the remarks on Monday, according to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation news website.

In response to these challenges, Tuisawau said the latest national budget includes provisions for strengthening human resources, with an emphasis on hiring skilled personnel to meet the increased demand, reports Xinhua news agency.

His ministry has allocated funds for additional project staff to handle the growing workload.

Tuisawau said that key institutions such as hospitals, government quarters and the Department of Works are set to benefit from the increased budget, which prioritizes the upgrade and enhancement of severely deteriorated quarters across various divisions.

The Fijian government has raised Fijians' retirement age from 60 to 62 years to counteract a 'labor exodus' to Australia and New Zealand.

Over 50,000 Fijians emigrated between July 2022 and December 2023, mainly due to better education and employment opportunities abroad.

The government has made several policy changes to mitigate the impact on the local labor market and encourage investment including bringing in more foreign workers, removing visa barriers for former citizens and adjusting tax rules.