00:00The Economist says, despite earlier concerns, that the closure of the CPEP program would push unemployment higher.
00:07The latest labour force data shows employment actually increased slightly, moving from 562,100 in 2024 to 566,200 in
00:212025.
00:22Professor Roger Hossain tells the Morning Edition, the figures suggest the labour market has remained more resilient than expected.
00:31However, he warns that job growth should not continue to depend mainly on expansion within the services sector.
00:39What you don't want is employment being created only in the services sector.
00:45That is a big guzzler and a big use of foreign exchange.
00:49You see, the situation has gotten so bad in Chantabegu, that even in the labour market policy and the structure
00:58of employment, you must keep the foreign exchange situation in mind.
01:02Professor Hossain also weighs in on government's one-year anniversary come next week.
01:07Although you may have seen a decline in the murder level, you may have seen tourism increase about 12%
01:14overnight visitors.
01:15You may have seen GDP not fall below zero, you may have seen a little improvement in employment, a little
01:23fall in the unemployment rate.
01:26The labour force participation rate remains at 54.8%.
01:31It is still very, very early days.
01:35He adds that government's target of increasing non-energy export earnings by the U.S. billions by 2030 could significantly
01:44strengthen the country's outlook.
01:46But, he says, achieving that goal will require a clear and structured implementation plan.
01:53If you make grandiose announcement of U.S. 5 billion increase in non-energy exports, and then you don't show
02:01the rollout plan, well, a goal without a plan is a wish.
02:06And I am hoping that this is not just a wish, that it is a dedicated goal with a plan.
02:12Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
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