Guyana, in its rapid march towards development, is facing a concerning shortage of skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled labour. To combat this issue, the government is pondering the creation of a National Labour Committee, working under the umbrella of the Ministry of Labour. This proposal particularly targets the labour shortage impacting the oil and gas sector.
The Arthur Chung Conference Centre hosted a follow-up Multi-Stakeholders Meeting on Guyana’s Labour Needs
On August 14 the Arthur Chung Conference Centre hosted a follow-up Multi-Stakeholders Meeting on Guyana’s Labour Needs, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI). Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s Diaspora Unit, this conference gathered prominent figures from both governmental and private-sector agencies. Their objective was to formulate a strategy to tackle the country’s labour shortage over various timelines.
Robert Persaud, the Foreign Secretary at the ministry, highlighted the challenges the country could face if the labour shortage isn’t addressed promptly. He emphasized the need for a proactive approach that extends beyond just reaching out to the diaspora.“There is so much that we can do in encouraging, networking and reaching out to the global diaspora, but we cannot wait forever for them to be responsive, because these projects cannot sit and wait for us to find these Guyanese. So, we have to be creative and innovative,” he said.
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The previous meeting shed light on a few critical causes behind the labour shortage, notably a mismatch of skills in the market and cultural inflexibility. Despite the government’s significant investments in training, a combined effort with the private sector is seen as a necessity to bridge the existing gap.
The proposed National Labour Committee is envisioned as a comprehensive solution. This body would collate data about labour demand and supply from all sectors. Furthermore, the committee’s framework includes five distinct components: scouting, matching, foreign workers, communication, and manpower surveys.
Rosalinda Rasul, Head of the Diaspora Unit, elaborated on this model. Scouts would be dispatched across communities to gauge the number of job seekers and their skills. This data would then be matched with the needs of companies, ministries, or contractors. If gaps still exist, the committee would explore the option of hiring foreign workers. Rasul also underscored the significance of communication. “Communication is also important because a lot of the gaps are created because of a lack of information floating around, so we would have a subsection that is strictly responsible for creating content,” she said.
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Regular manpower surveys would be another crucial aspect, reflecting the ever-evolving needs of each sector.
Moreover, the gathered information would be disseminated to academic institutions, ensuring that training aligns with labour demands. “If, for example, we know that within the next five to ten years, we need to get 3,000 engineers or 500 doctors, then, once that information hits these training institutions, they know exactly what they have to do,” Rasul explained.
Several stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and the Public Sector Commission, have shown enthusiasm in backing the execution of this proposed model, highlighting the collective drive to combat the labour shortage in Guyana.
