The PPP/C government is exploring the possibility of importing skilled labour to meet the country’s growing development needs. This was announced by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali as he delivered remarks at the Private Sector Commission’s Annual General Meeting yesterday.
The President acknowledged the private sector’s complaints about the challenges in sourcing skilled labour and expressed his concern that the rate of economic development has outpaced the rate of new skilled entrants into the labour market. He noted, “The private sector has complained about difficulties in sourcing skilled labour. We’ve envisaged that this problem would have arisen, but we had not catered for it arising at the pace at which it has arisen”.
While the government has taken steps to train individuals, President Ali said that the country’s population is too small to sustain an economy that has tripled in size in recent years. He also emphasized the need to urgently discuss the issue of skilled labour with both the private sector and labour, given the ongoing labour shortage and its impact on the cost of skilled labour, which has increased exponentially.
President Ali also addressed the effects of the labour shortage on construction costs, citing the steep rise in the price of materials due to imported inflation and global supply chain issues. He assured that the government is closely examining this matter and has made all necessary adjustments to address the issue.
“We’re also keenly aware that the shortage of labour has led to an increase in the cost of skilled labour, and we’re concerned that this could lead to increases in project cost. We’re equally concerned about the steep rise as a result of imported inflation, in construction material. We’ve made all the adjustments that the government could possibly make to address this issue,” he emphasized.
The President’s remarks also underscore the need for Guyana to address the challenges associated with the shortage of skilled labour and explore viable solutions.
