One thousand more part-time workers were yesterday hired in Region Six bringing the total number of persons employed under the programme in the region to 5000.
Meanwhile, 700 small business owners received a 200,000 cash grant to assist them in their business ventures during an outreach by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Additionally, some 300 more roads to the tune of $10b will be done in Region Six this year, Jagdeo announced yesterday.
During his outreach at the Tain location where the 1000 workers were employed, the Vice President stated that the part-time programme was developed to give a boost to the employment initiatives which are currently being carried out in the region through infrastructural and other developments.
“This part-time job, we get 4,000 people now 5,000 people, because we lost 3000 jobs under the sugar industry so you’re gonna have more people under the part-time programme now than we lost in the sugar industry… That income that they earn which runs into billions of dollars every year if you multiple 40,000 per month times 5,000 people times 12 months in the year then you will see what it actually works out to … billions of dollars flow back into the economy in this region.”
Notably the programme has attracted in the majority housewives and women who have been out of the workforce for many years.
According to Jagdeo, at the pace at which Guyana is going at some point labour will have to be imported in Guyana something which is happening around the world. “But if we get … women now joining our workforce who are at home then we can reduce the number of people we need from abroad.”
He continued, “So this is like a stepping stone to get women out of their home, many have not worked formally, to start building up that work ethic and to come out of their home etc. So this is serving us a number of purposes.”
Berbicians have welcomed the part-time programme, noting that it is an added income to their households.
Jagdeo yesterday also noted that when the programme was launched it received a lot of criticism from APNU who called for people to receive full-time jobs instead of part-time. However, he pointed out that at the launch of the programme in Linden some 1,000 people were hired while the APNU during their tenure had failed to create jobs in that area. “So you want full-time jobs but you didn’t do anything for people in the area in five years and now 1,000 persons are working and we will expand it in Linden.”
He stressed, that the programme was also developed to assist the communities as he urged those gathered to treat the people who they will be serving professionally and with respect at all times.
Additionally, he also encouraged people to “upgrade” themselves and to apply for the GOAL scholarships to further their studies.
At the Albion location yesterday some 700 small business owners received a $200,000 cash grant to assist in their business ventures. According to Jagdeo, the cash grant assists with improving livelihoods – something that is at the forefront of his government.
He added that the government has “simplified the process enormously.” He explained, that previously people would have to set up a company, obtain a GRA tax compliance certificate and undergo training all of which have been removed since it was discovered that people would spend more money to apply than the grants they were receiving.
As such he stressed that in effort to assist the small business owners, the process was simplified allowing them to receive the resource through an easier and faster process.
He also said, that there are some cases where people “slip through” that is several members of the family receive grants since they have different surnames as such systems will have to be put in place to curb this.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo also met with the chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the various neighbourhood democratic councils in Region Six yesterday where he announced that some 300 more roads to the tune of over $10b will be done within the region stressing that at the pace at which they are moving in a couple of years all the roads in the region should be done with the PPP/C since returning to office completing over 700 roads.
Additionally, some $400m was also set aside to improve grounds in Region Six and according to him some 120 grounds that are in the region are undergoing improvements presently to allow residents to comfortably use them for recreational purposes, sports and other activities.
