Queen Victoria School year 13 prize recipients and with Acting Prime Minister Attorney General and the Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum during the prize giving ceremony at Tailevu. Picture: JONA KONATACI

ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said Fiji was now bringing in workers from Bangladesh, the Philippines and Indonesia because of a shortage of people who know how to lay tiles professionally.

“There is shortage of people because some of our good tile and brick layers have been taken up by New Zealand,” he said.

“My point is as a society, a community and economy we must let our young people flourish in the areas that they are good at irrespective of the trade.”

The statements were part of a speech he delivered last Saturday during the Queen Victoria School’s annual prizegiving ceremony in Tailevu.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum reminded parents not to push their children into doing careers that they were not interested in.

“Encourage them to do what they want. I know that it is a trend in Fiji that everyone wants to become a lawyer or engineer, but your child might be very good in carpentry or might have a good sense of professionalism and might want to become a nurse.

“Let them pursue a career they feel comfortable with because they will do their best and that is critically important.”