Some graduates cannot find employment

RETURNING GRADUATES CANNOT FIND EMPLOYMENT

Some graduates returning to Seychelles recently after their studies in the UK have complained to this paper that they cannot obtain employment. The graduates lamented that they were unsuccessful in their attempts to get a job in the Public Sector as well as in the Private Sector. They are therefore currently unemployed although not unemployable.

This is a very worrying trend indeed. As the economic downturn hits hard both the public and private sector have implemented large scale redundancies causing the unemployment figures to hit an all time high. Experts have warned that the situation will get more critical as the government is due to down size the civil service in accordance with a pledge made to IMF to cut public expenditure. The situation is expected to get drastically worse in the coming months as the government seems to be at a loss at what to do next.

As for the private sector, they are still waiting for the promised economic reform which could possibly reverse the negative trend and stimulate economic growth. The reluctance of the government to do away with trades tax altogether, reform the taxation system, social security, pension scheme, abolish price control and liberalise the economy in a meaningful manner, has made matters even worse.

Although the government has promised the IMF that they will implement economic reform they have dragged their feet on the issue ever since. The composition of the newly appointed National Economic Planning Council does not instill public confidence as the Chamber of Commerce is not represented and the qualification of most of the members selected to provide solution to our economic woes is suspect.

Seychelles, together with Zimbabwe are the two countries on the African Continent which exceptionally have not t recorded any sort of economic growth last year. Unfortunately, the trend is expected to continue this year and for the foreseeable future. The prospect for graduates therefore remains bleak.

The paradox is that the Attorney-General’s Office, which legally represents the government, has continued this year to sue graduates under the “Bonds” scheme introduced to force Seychellois graduates to come back to Seychelles to work instead of staying in the country where they graduated to seek employment. If there are no jobs for graduates in

Seychelles

then the government should abandon the cases filed before the Supreme Court to force graduates to pay back the university fees paid by the government on their behalf.