By Freddy Mou in Port Moresby
Northern Governor Gary Juffa has called on the Papua New Guinea government to sideline Labour Secretary Mary Morola, claiming she is not fit to run the office.
Juffa alleged that Morola had been sleeping in office and allowing illegal practices over work permits to happen.
The Opposition MP claimed that an officer attached to the department had been illegally issuing work permit to foreigners who have never spoken a word of English.
Juffa said even though English was a prerequisite for the work permit, the named officer continued to issue work permits and receive bribes.
He added that most jobs done by these expatriates, especially Asians, could be done by local people.
“This officer must explain how all expats who cannot speak a word of English have been granted work permits when English is a prerequisite,” he said.
Localised jobs
Juffa said jobs like drivers, shop assistants and security guards were localised jobs and must not be given to expatriates.
He called on the government to look into this issue and deal with it as soon as possible before anything happened to the security of the nation.
Juffa also challenged the Labour Secretary to have a walk into a shop at Gerehu or any suburb in the city and see for herself the influx of expatriates working in the tuckershops.
The governor said he would be filing a police report to investigate the officer involved in issuing work permits to the expatriates.
Freddy Mou is a senior journalist on Loop PNG.
