2006年VOA标准英语-UN Agency Recommends Exporting Labor to Cu

By Claudia Blume
Hong Kong
09 April 2006
 
Despite Asia's fast economic growth, unemployment in the region has increased over the past decade. The United Nations' Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) says one possible remedy is the temporary export of workers.

-----------------------------------------------

The U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific is concerned that many countries in the region are achieving high economic growth without creating enough new jobs. In some parts of Asia, according to UNESCAP, the number of people without jobs has more than doubled in the past decade.

The agency says one option countries with high unemployment should explore is to promote the temporary export of workers, as part of their development and poverty-reduction strategies.

Shahid Ahmed, an economist¹ at UNESCAP in Bangkok, says the region would benefit from such a policy.

"First of all, it would have a major impact on poverty, and secondly² it would also be a more efficient way of utilizing³ labor⁴ in the region as well as elsewhere," he said

Migrant organizations, however, are skeptical⁵. They say the export of labor can ease unemployment in the short term. But they say that unless governments couple such programs with economic restructuring and job creation at home, a temporary migration⁶ policy can turn into a permanent one. The Philippines' labor export program, for example, started as a temporary measure in the 1970s but is now a permanent feature of the country's labor policy.

Rex Varona, executive director of the Asian Migrant Center in Hong Kong, says labor export is a dangerous policy because it can prevent governments from tackling the causes of poverty and unemployment.

"In the long run, as is the case of the Philippines, the export of labor does not solve the problem because it only perpetuates⁷ and worsens the local unemployment situation," noted⁸ Varona.

Varona says countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are looking at making labor migration a permanent feature of their development plans.

Another organization, the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants in Hong Kong, says they are worried that an increasing number of migrants competing on regional labor markets could lead to lower salaries and worsened working conditions. Many migrant workers already work for 12 to 18 hours a day for very low pay, with few protections from abusive bosses.

UNESCAP, however, says the money migrant workers send home not only helps their families, it also adds to their countries' foreign exchange earnings⁹, enabling them to boost imports and spur growth.

Migrant organizations, however, think that remittances¹⁰ lull¹¹ governments into a false sense of security and prevent them from tackling economic problems. Varona points out that three decades of remittances have not reduced poverty in the Philippines. Other experts warn that if the exported workers include professionals such as teachers, doctors and engineers, countries wind up without the skilled personnel they need to build their own economies.

1 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

2 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

3 utilizing   

v.利用，使用( utilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Utilizing an assembler to produce a machine-language program. 用汇编程序产生机器语言的过程。 来自辞典例句
• The study and use of devices utilizing properties of materials near absolute zero in temperature. 对材料在接近绝对零度时的特性进行研究和利用的学科。 来自辞典例句

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

6 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

7 perpetuates   

n.使永存，使人记住不忘( perpetuate的名词复数 )；使永久化，使持久化，使持续

参考例句：

• Giving these events a lot of media coverage merely perpetuates the problem. 媒体大量地报道这些事件只会使问题持续下去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Lack of water perpetuates poverty, increases the risk of political instability, and affects global prosperity. 水资源短缺导致贫穷，使政局不稳，且影响全球的繁荣。 来自互联网

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

10 remittances   

n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 )；汇款，汇款额

参考例句：

• He sends regular remittances to his parents. 他定期汇款给他父母。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Remittances sometimes account for as much as 20% of GDP. 在这些国家中，此类汇款有时会占到GDP的20%之多。 来自互联网

11 lull   

v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇

参考例句：

• The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
• Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。