…even as unemployment soars due to economy’s sluggishness
President David Granger was unable to say exactly how many jobs his Government has created since taking office back in May 2015, but insisted that a lot has been done to reduce unemployment and create an environment where Guyanese were equipped to enter cottage industries in order to cope economically.
Granger said that while he was unable to give the number of jobs created, there was a lot taking place as many programmes have been rolled out to ensure that Guyanese youths have access to jobs as soon as they leave secondary and tertiary institutions.
“As far as jobs are concerned, I cannot give a number perhaps the Minister of Business can give a number…but there is a lot of unregistered unemployment,” he remarked as he addressed reporters at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday.
He maintained that his Government has done its best since 2015 to generate more jobs in line with the campaign promise made by the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.
President David Granger
“The Government is rebalancing the economy through its support of the micro, small and medium-scale enterprise sector, mindful of the SMEs’ potential to generate employment,” he explained.
President Granger said in this respect loans and grants have been issued under the Hinterland Employment Youth Scheme (HEYS); the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN); the Micro and Small Enterprise Development (MSED) Project; and Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED); Women of Worth (WOW) and the People of Worth Entrepreneurial Resources (POWER) initiatives.
He explained that the Government’s policy was to ensure that people have the means to enter the production and manufacturing sectors as a means of creating self-employment not only in far- flung areas but about the city.
He took offence to those who were mocking the Government’s drive to create employment by encouraging citizens to start up cottage industries that produce things such as plantain chips and coconut products.
“Some people call it the plantain chips economy, but I would like those same people to go to the regional exhibitions which we have been holding around the country and see women coming out of Yupukari…see housewives getting into the micro-economy and you can see that there is something happening in Guyana,” he remarked.
“It may start with plantain chip,” he continued before reminding the media that he knew somebody who started off producing fruit juices at Timehri and today those fruit juices are being bottled or boxed as Timehri Orchard Products Company (TOPCO) “…so small things could end up big”.
President Granger’s statement on the quantum of employment created by his coalition Government comes against a backdrop where concerns are being raised about the perceived hike in unemployment since 2015. It also comes at a time when citizens are complaining that economic activity in the country has slowed down owing to a lack of confidence in the economy by the local Private Sector and the foreign investors because of the mixed signals being sent by the Administration on a number of fronts.
Additionally, youth unemployment and crime have also increased since 2015 with public commentators and experts admonishing the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led APNU/AFC Government to adopt a coherent employment policy, which sees more direct ventures and opportunities being created to boost the economy’s productive sectors and increase jobs. Also, the slowdown in the construction and manufacturing sectors have also negatively affected seasonal jobs as contractors have begun laying off workers who are mostly skilled and semi-skilled young males.
President Granger’s comments also come at a time when thousands of sugar workers have had their services terminated or retrenched with no clear policy being articulated with regard to re-employment opportunities.
The last population census conducted in September 2012 by the Government pegged the unemployment figure as high as 11.5 representing 30,533 persons.
