Vice President issues 1000 part-time jobs in Region Five

The government’s part-time jobs initiative in Region Five, which will see some 1,000 persons benefitting in the region and approximately 7,000 across the country to date, was officially launched on Tuesday by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

The Vice President said that this is in keeping with the government’s commitment to subsidise household income, in the light of the rising cost of living. He said that it was part of their manifesto promise of creating employment for Guyanese across the country. Dr. Jagdeo at the launching held at the Mahaicony Technical Institute, disclosed that the government inherited significant job loss due to the poor policies of the APNU+AFC.

The VP disclosed that pre-COVID, Guyana lost some 35,000 jobs under the previous government, while heavy taxation and the unconscionable shutdown of the sugar industry imposed undue hardships on the citizens. Dr. Jagdeo stressed that the situation was exacerbated when the pandemic hit and the APNU+AFC shut down the country, resulting in the loss of another 35,000 to 40,000 jobs.

The Vice President explained that in light of this inherited situation, the government has put mechanisms in place to reduce the impacts on Guyanese. VP Jagdeo pointed out that the Government has revised its manifesto promise of providing 50,000 jobs, looking at other ways of generating employment.

As such, the VP noted that in the short-term, some 100,000 jobs would now have to be created, as the administration works on a comprehensive plan. Dr.; Jagdeo issued a strong appeal to those in attendance to reject the negative commentary as it relates to the programme. He reiterated that the jobs are not temporary but part-time and would run for more than a year.

The Vice President said; “The only qualification for this job is being Guyanese.” The former president appealed to the beneficiaries to use the programme as a stepping stone and to take advantage of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships, to improve themselves. Dr. Jagdeo also urged those in attendance to be professional and be respectful in the delivery of service to citizens.

It was revealed that persons registered for the jobs and signed their contracts to begin working in the various government agencies. Accompanying the Vice President were Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha; Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall; Public Affairs Minister, Kwame McCoy; and Public Service Minister, Sonia Parag, among other officials.