BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Remittances from seasonal workers contributed $SBD470 million for Solomon Islands in 2024.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele stated this in his keynote address, at the first day of the Pacific Labour Mobility Annual Meeting (PLMAM) 2025 held from November 3–6 under the theme “Sustainable Reintegration Begins with Fair and Effective Recruitment.”
“While this may be small in comparison to other Pacific family members, these remittances are of immense significance to our economy. Remittances contribute to paying school fees, building roads, and creating small businesses.
“For Solomon Islands, labour mobility is not just an economic policy. It is a lifeline of opportunity,” PM Manele told delegates.
He said that this has been referenced in the mid-term review report of the country’s national development strategy 2016-2035.
He said that thousands of Solomon Islanders have found meaningful work abroad, gained new skills, supported their families and returned home with renewed hope and experience.
“Every Solomon Islander, and I believe with the rest of the Pacific family, working overseas carries with them the spirit of our pioneers, helping families at home while contributing to regional prosperity. When one Solomon Islander or a Pacific Islander succeeds abroad, the whole community benefits,” he said.
Addressing the delegates, PM Manele said that labour mobility must go hand in hand with each Pacific Island participating countries government national development goals.
“It reduces unemployment, empowers youth and women, and builds resilience in rural communities. When workers return home, they bring back skills and perspectives that will reach our domestic industries. But we must also ensure that our local economy must provide opportunities for these workers domestically once they finish their terms.
“This is how labour mobility becomes a cycle of empowerment, not a one-way journey. Our strength lies in Pacific solidarity,” PM Manele highlighted.
The event was hosted by Solomon Islands Government and organised by the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU). It brings together representatives from Pacific governments, international organisations, employers, workers, and partners with the aim to strengthen cooperation and share best practices in labour mobility.
Photo: Supplied
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