The Solomon Islands flag Photo: RNZI
A potential labour mobility scheme with the Cook Islands could see Solomon Islands nurses and doctors employed in the New Zealand realm country.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele confirmed the discussions following his return from the Pacific Islands Leaders' Troika meeting held in Fiji last week.
The Solomon Star reported Manele held talks with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown to discuss shared interests, including labour mobility.
"We are looking for opportunities, for example, for our nurses and possibly doctors as well," Manele said.
The local news outlet also reported the Cook Islands government was open to the proposal.
But Solomon Islands leader of the opposition, Matthew Wale, said the government's labour mobility plans are short-sighted and reckless.
He acknowledged the benefits of labour mobility programs in certain situations, but said such schemes must not come at the cost of critical national services.
"Government should be focused on recruiting, training, and retaining more health professionals, not exporting the few we have left," he said in a statement.
"Every clinic and hospital across the country is in urgent need of staff. That should be the priority."
Wale said labour mobility programs are a useful short-term response to unemployment, but it becomes nonsensical when it involves sending away already employed professionals.
"Our doctors and nurses are not surplus labour. They are the backbone to the healthcare system of this country."
Solomon Islands workers are already in Australia and New Zealand under seasonal work schemes.
