The Department of Public Information (DPI) on Friday announced that the government will be hosting a job fair in New York, USA, to attract members of the Guyanese diaspora back to their homeland.
The initiative, it stated, is in response to the identification of a significant skills and resource gap highlighting a need for approximately 100,000 skilled professionals due to the rapid transformation of Guyana’s economy.
According to the DPI, a research paper by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) indicates that around 550,000 Guyanese live abroad. The study also reveals that between 1965 and 2000, nearly 90 per cent of Guyanese nationals with tertiary-level education and 40% of those with secondary education emigrated from Guyana.
It also noted that with Guyana’s recent economic advancements, there has been a noticeable trend of Guyanese nationals returning to their homeland. The government has introduced various policies and initiatives to encourage this reverse migration.
In an interview with DPI, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud disclosed the government’s plans to host a job fair targeting the diaspora. “This will be happening in a very short while whereby we’ll be targeting the persons who are there, letting them know what opportunities exist in Guyana, what skills we need and how they can contribute.” He emphasised that not only are Guyanese expatriates returning, but their children are also being encouraged to contribute to the country’s development.
“Already we have seen an influx of persons returning to Guyana, addressing the skill gap of over 100,000. What we are seeing is that there is a renewed interest from the second generation, who have built their capacity in various sectors. They are also returning to Guyana.”
The release noted that the positive economic climate in Guyana creates a favourable environment for both returnees and new migrants, ensuring their retention within the country. The Foreign Secretary highlighted the detrimental impact of the brain drain over the past decades and the importance of reversing this trend.
“Any developing country such as ours, losing one skill can have an impact and unfortunately, in Guyana, we’ve lost many skilled workers and some of our biggest minds. In the last half-century, Guyanese have made a significant contribution to other countries and industries across the world. This brain drain has negatively impacted our country and we are trying to change that.”
However, to address this, the government is rolling out initiatives aimed at retaining talent within the country and developing the capacity of its workforce to propel Guyana’s burgeoning economy. DPI noted that as Guyana continues to grow, these efforts to reconnect with its diaspora are critical in bridging the skills gap and ensuring sustainable economic development. As such, the upcoming job fair in New York marks a significant step towards achieving these goals, inviting skilled professionals to return home and be part of Guyana’s promising future, the release added.
