AS Guadalcanal Provincial government farewells five GP-CITREC candidates heading for Canada in the coming days, two are already in Canada and another 10 are being processed for December bringing a total of 17 candidates to be in Canada by the end of 2017.
With the high demand for workers in Canada, the prospect for next year should be around hundred (100) plus GP-CITREC candidates living and working in Canada by 2018.
An obvious happy man speaking during a farewell luncheon last Friday was Guadalcanal Premier Hon Anthony Veke. He thanked CITREC office in Canada and GP-Education authority for their work in making CITREC coming to progressive fruition.
“Despite this CITREC programme being a government undertaking, many have closely associated with me. Yes I initiated it during my previous tenure as Premier and continue to do so. I have faced so much, criticism and outright name calling by people and even some of my Assembly colleagues” Premier Veke said.
“In all these wrangling and petty politicking, I remained firm, committed and believed in CITREC as a way forward for my people of Guadalcanal. My firm position stems from an ambitious dream I always held for Guadalcanal people. That is I want to see my people everywhere around the world, like the Chinese and the Indians” Veke said.
He furthered that his recent trip to China convinced him that he is pursuing a worthy dream. He learned that Chinese people living abroad pumped in alot into Chinese economy bringing change, development and progress since the 1800s. The same can happen with Guadalcanal people living abroad. They will return with practical knowledge and new ideas in our economy.
“Therefore, for GP to change, for our people’s live’s to change, there is no time for business as usual. We have to approach GP development differently, from different dimensions. We have to take risk, take the roads less traveled. And I have been taking that risk. Today it gives me so much satisfaction and happiness personally” Premier Veke expressed.
“As we speak, an account for Guadalcanal Province has been created in Canada where remittances for the province will be deposited and channeled” Veke said.
“Remittance is a lucrative source of revenue for a country, in our case for Guadalcanal province. A rough estimate has it that should there be around 200 plus Guadalcanal workers working in Canada, our province can earn up to 35 to 40million dollars annually from remittance alone”. Premier Veke highlighted.
In substantiating Premier Veke’s arguments, GP’s External Affairs Officer Mr Mcfaddean Aoraunisaka noted that according to World Bank, officially recorded global remittances to developing countries amounted to $429 billion in 2016. And in keeping with an improved global economic outlook, remittances to developing countries are expected grow by an estimated 3.3 percent to $444 billion in 2017.
“This is GP directly participating in global economy. The global flow and exchange of human resources, human capital, trade, finance, technology, knowledge and ideas is a must participation for Guadalcanal Province.” Mr Aoraunisaka said.
G-Province is looking forward in sending over more CITREC graduates.
—GP PRESS RELEASE
