Sky high unemployment in Region Ten worry Apostle London

THE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN UPPER DEMERARA/BERBICE (Region Ten)
worry an outspoken local religious leader.
Apostle Nigel London is demanding national and Regional leaders find long-term solutions for
joblessness in the 17,000 Km 2 community famous for its bauxite but also its endemic poverty
among its some 40,000 inhabitants.
“I sometimes wonder how they are able to survive under this oppressive and depressive
environment. It is tragic to see the level of unemployment in Region Ten among young people.
What are they supposed to do?” he queried in exasperation.
London is convinced that neither the ruling Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) nor the
opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU+AFC) coalition made any genuine effort
tackling the daunting economic state of affairs hammering residents, especially the youths.
He attributed the silence of community-members in the face of years-long jobs crisis to party and
political loyalties and fears of “stepping on someone’s toes” inviting recrimination.
London blasted “Governments past and present (and) Regional leadership for failing to remove
the party loyalty and (encourage) protesting for the betterment of residents.”
Continuing he said: “Promises do not put food on people's tables. There are thousands of
students who leave school in our Region, what happens to them, where are they? There are those
who would have gone and further their studies at the university level, what has happened to
them? Where are the jobs in the Region? Where are the opportunities in the region for them to
say that they have equitable opportunities?” he asked.
Apostle London has been a staunch critic of both PPP/C and APNU+AFC administrations,
blasting them for pushing residents of Region Ten into dead-end activities with no future
prospects for betterment of their lives.

“This is disheartening! People being made to just have minimal jobs and little temporary
employment is unfortunate and that is not what I would expect from any leader”, he declared
He is livid at what he described as make-believe employment schemes offered the unemployed
by successive Guyanese Governments describing them as “sham programmes” emphasising
there must be genuine efforts to enhance the well-being of tomorrow’s leaders. He reminded
leaders they were elected to address the welfare and well-being of residents and not their
personal gain and/or agendas.
“All of these sham programmes that we are seeing by governments are just appalling. Putting
some people behind a computer telling them that you are teaching them something in the name
of a programme is disgusting to say the least. Young people in this community are in need of
employment that is similar to that of the capital and many other Regions of Guyana,” Apostle
London counselled.
“It is possible for this to be done if the interest is shown and the political will for certain things to
happen: infrastructure development, economic advancement, technological opportunities in
reference to…call centres but there are many more things that we can do,” London said.
London wants employment irritants incrementally removed for brighter prospects for Region
Ten youths. For starters, industries with a future should be part of the Region’s employment
infrastructure which will bolster the social and mental well-being of the 40,000 residents,
particularly the youth sector.
“We can have opportunities in Linden for young people to be involved in manufacturing if
possible. There are many industries that we can add here if the investments are made for
these young people to advance themselves…and that has not been forthcoming. That is
what irritates me the most about this Region. Our youths are depressed, they are
borderline hopeless in reference to what services are rendered to them by the political
leaders. That is my concern,” said Apostle London.