THE Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) is developing an Employment Information System to better determine the rate of youth unemployment in the country.
Minister Harry Kuma confirmed this in Parliament last week when responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Small Malaita and Chairman of the Parliamentary House Committee, Rick Hou.
He said the new system will enable the ministry to conduct regular employment surveys.
“The system will allow the ministry to carry out surveys on employment, and from that, we will be able to capture unemployment data annually,” Kuma said.
“Unlike at the moment, where we depend mainly on employment data from the National Provident Fund or the national census, this new system will provide more up-to-date information,” he added.
According to the 2019 Census, the country’s unemployment rate stood at 7.9 percent overall. However, urban unemployment was much higher—around 12 percent, compared to 6 percent in rural areas.
Kuma said the ministry has completed the initial setup and installation of the Employment Information System, which will enable regular data collection to monitor employment trends.
He also noted that donor-supported initiatives such as the Rapid Employment Project have had positive impacts but acknowledged that population growth may still drive up unemployment levels.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for East Are Are and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Peter Kenilorea Junior, asked whether the government has set a benchmark or timeline to address unemployment.
“It would be helpful if the government could set targets—for example, by 2030—to reduce unemployment to a specific percentage or number,” Kenilorea said.“These could be linked to key sectors such as tourism, agriculture, and fisheries. Including such goals in the national budget would help focus efforts on job creation.”
Kenilorea also pointed out that while governments cannot directly provide jobs, they can create the right environment for employment growth, including support for the informal sector.
In response, Minister Kuma agreed that linking employment creation to national policy and the budget process is crucial.
“That is a very important point,” Kuma said. “In any policy formulation, we must consider employment creation in relation to budget allocations and GDP growth targets.”
He added that reliable data collection remains key to effective planning and policy-making.
“Data is vital,” he said. “Collecting accurate information is challenging but necessary to ensure fiscal policies translate into real employment outcomes.”
By EDDIE OSIFELOSolomon Star, Honiara