The Guyana Government has allocated a whopping $10B to expand its part-time job initiative to lend support to families reeling from the high cost of living occasioned by COVID-19 shocks to the global supply chain and the escalating Russia/Ukraine conflict.
The part-time job programme was launched in 2022. This year’s allocation was part of a slew of measures outlined in 2023’s $781.9B fiscal package presented by the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh in the National Assembly Monday evening.
The programme allows one person per household to work in public offices for 10 days per month with a stipend/salary of $40,000. Since its commencement, over 11,000 individuals have been employed in several regions. About 2,000 residents already gained employment through the massive recruitment drive in Regions Two and Three respectively. The government also provided 4,000 residents of Region Six with part-time jobs and more than 1,000 persons in Region 10.
Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo spearheaded the launch ceremony in each of the regions, with the latest beneficiaries being some 2,000 persons along the east bank and east coast corridors.
The administration is aggressively pushing to provide 50,000 jobs over five years, as promised in its manifesto. Minister Singh said the part-time job programme has injected some $2.3B into households, providing much-needed financial relief during these challenging times.
Additionally, the government is encouraging beneficiaries of the programme to upskill themselves, so they can eventually take up full-time employment as the labour market is confronted with a shortage of skills in certain areas.
