3.1pc employment drop in private sector

Employment in the private sector has declined by 3.1 percent at the start of the year to June.

This is according to the Bank of PNG’s Quarterly Economic Bulletin for June 2017.

The Central Bank said the private sector declined by 1.1 percent in the June quarter of 2017, despite an increase of 1.1 percent in the March quarter.

Excluding the mineral sector, the level of employment fell by 1.4 percent.

According to the Bank of PNG, employment decreased in the construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing, retail and manufacturing sectors.

They state this more than offsets increases in the transportation, wholesale, financial/business and other services and mineral sectors.

By region, the employment level declined in the Islands, National Capital District (NCD) and the Morobe regions.

However, there were increases in other parts of Momase and Southern Region and the Highlands.

“Over the year to June 2017, the total level of employment fell by 3.1 percent, compared to a decline of 4.0 percent over the corresponding period of 2016. Excluding the mineral sector, it declined by 4.0 percent, compared to a decline of 4.5 percent in the corresponding period of 2016.”

Meanwhile, the Central Bank says data from the bank's Business Liaison Survey (BLS) shows that sales in the private sector declined by 4.2 percent in the March quarter of 2017, compared to an increase of 13 percent in the December quarter of 2016.

Excluding the mineral sector, sales fell by 0.2 percent following an increase of 9.2 percent in the previous quarter.

Sales declined in all key sectors in all regions except the Momase Region, with the exception of Morobe.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole