Dear Editor,
Guyana, as everyone agrees, suffered and is continuing to suffer from a massive brain drain; even labourers are in short supply. A glance at the newspapers will reveal that there is a constant demand for professional, skilled and unskilled persons. One newspaper of June 11, 2014, had advertisements for Caterpillar mechanics, excavator operators, bulldozer operators, mechanics, auto/heavy equipment-body repair men, a civil engineer, heavy equipment operators, masons, skilled labourers, a sales/customer care executive, accounts receivable coordinator, a power systems engineer, maintenance engineers, independent contractors for metering, operations officer (Education), financial accounting clerk, proofreader, human resources manager, LPG plant supervisor, drivers, babysitter, lorry drivers, office clerks, domestic, machine operator, driver/porter, office assistant, bartender, cleaners, accountant, bond clerks, sales clerk, drivers, male and female workers, sales clerks, bond clerks, drivers, live-in maid.
More than one company needs the same kind of employees as the duplication of some vacancies above show. The company advertising for a human resource manager has been doing so for a long time and seems unable to recruit; a number of other companies are struggling to find a good HRM. There are hundreds of other employers trying to recruit from a limited pool.
Stabroek News wanted a proofreader. I think all the media houses including the TV stations should look at this area.
Editor, while employers throughout the country are struggling to recruit, there is a shout that there is unemployment in Guyana; some say in the vicinity of 20%. This is a paradox. Do the persons who are not working want to work? Are they waiting for a special kind of job as some UG graduates are? Are the Technical Institutes and other training initiatives training to fulfil the demand of industries? Do we need so many hairdressers? The Board of Industrial Training should have an impact on the curricula of all the various training programmes being undertaken by ministries and organisations. Does the Technical Institute, etc, have the technology, equipment and machinery necessary to equip trainees with the skills necessary for modern day machines and equipment? With the expansion of the mining sector, new gold and bauxite mines being developed, heavy duty operators would be in great demand. Are we ready? If oil is found tomorrow, what happens? The Port Mourant Training Centre (GuySuCo) and Macorp, stand out.
The UG should cater for the needs of industry also. Do we still have a Personnel (HR) and Industrial Relations course? Do we need so many social workers? One of the reasons being advanced by GuySuCo for its poor performance over the recent past is poor labour turnout.
What is the answer? I don’t claim to have one, but I would like to posit some views.
Government should ensure that the various training institutions are adequately equipped to do the training needed to satisfy the needs of industry in the 21st century. Companies must be brought on board for the necessary practical experience.
The government can collect a training levy from employers which can be paid over to the Board of Industrial Training to strengthen the Board and for the acquisition of machinery and training aids for the training programmes. The industries to pay the levy can be named by the minister by regulation.
The collection of the levy, etc, can be done by a simple amendment of Section 39 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This section allows the minister to fix an amount that shall be levied on employers by the National Insurance Board, to defray the expenses of administering the OS&H Act.
If every Guyanese who wants to work is occupied, would we satisfy our needs? I think not.
The government should develop a plan to recruit persons from overseas. For instance persons who come and work in Guyana for three years, abide by our laws and are not social deviants, can be given resident status. The sending of funds for their families or bringing their families here could be facilitated. Housing can be addressed.
The Chinese are coming here and going into food and commerce, but, as can be seen from the Convention Centre and Marriott Hotel, they are good at construction.
Africans, Malaysians and Indonesians can be the answer to the skill needs in the mining and forestry sectors. Indians can supplement the labour force in the sugar industry. Other areas in need, such as medicine and engineering could also benefit from overseas personnel.
Trinidad is seeking to recruit labourers from Guyana promising attractive salaries and free accommodation (see press). Can Guyana afford to export and not to import?
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Akeel
