To address the effects of brain drain and harness the skills of Guyanese abroad, the Government of Guyana organized a Diaspora Job Fair in New York on Saturday which saw participation from 16 private sector companies from Guyana, aiming to fill vacancies within their ranks.
Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, in delivering the keynote address at the event, emphasized that the job fair is not just about filling current vacancies; it is about energizing, exciting, and building interest among second and third-generation Guyanese abroad. For years, he said, the issue of brain drain has plagued Guyana, but the government is now taking proactive steps to tap into the potential of its expatriates.
“For many years, we have talked about the brain drain. Here it is, we have reached a stage where Guyanese companies are coming to North America to tap the brains of Guyanese who have left and their children, to go back and play a part in the transformation and development,” Persaud noted.
“What we are undertaking here is part of an ongoing campaign to ensure that our people are not spectators to the transformation taking place, but rather drivers, leaders, and key beneficiaries of the progress and prosperity in our country,” he added.
Persaud underscored that the job fair is a crucial part of a sustained effort to update the diaspora on developments in Guyana and to invite them to actively contribute to the nation’s growth. The need for skilled workers is pressing, he stated, as local companies struggle to fill vacant positions despite constant recruitment efforts.
A recent study by the International Organization for Migration highlighted the magnitude of the skills gap in Guyana. Conducted a year and a half ago, it revealed a need for approximately 100,000 skilled workers. It was also noted that currently, an Indian expert within the Ministry of Labour is assessing the specific skills required across various sectors and devising strategies to address these gaps.
“We do not have the resident skills and capacity to ensure that the transformation and the pace at which the president and the people of Guyana want the country to go, we do not have the people right now in Guyana to do that,” Persaud explained.
Instead of turning to non-Guyanese to fill these roles, the government is making a deliberate, sustained effort to reach out to the diaspora, estimated to be over a million strong globally. This strategic move aims to attract skilled professionals who have left the country, as well as their descendants.
Persaud also pointed out the significant role of over 30,000 Venezuelans currently residing in Guyana due to the political crisis in their home country. Their contribution has been vital to many projects, highlighting the importance of external support in the nation’s development.
“Were it not for their input and their support, many of the projects would not have been undertaken. So, why should we not make a very aggressive push to go to the diaspora and ensure that they too come back and play their part in the development of our country?” Persaud stated.
This job fair, according to Persaud, represents a significant step in bridging the gap between local needs and the untapped potential of Guyanese abroad, ensuring a more inclusive and robust development for the nation.