Why work when there is Ma and Pa to provide?

Dec 05, 2021 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – Guyana’s labour problem is not numerical. We do have a large number of persons who are unemployed but who are not necessarily looking for work.
On a very quiet morning a few years ago, a gentleman went berserk in the city and attacked workers in an automotive repair shop. At the time of the attack, there were not many persons on the streets. Fortunately, the police were quickly on the scene and were able to neutralise the threat.
Within minutes of this incident, persons began to emerge from neighbouring yards in their numbers. It was simply unbelievable to see the large numbers that emerged from homes. The question that immediately sprung to mind was: Why were these individuals, most of who were of working age, not gainfully employed?
It is a development that can be seen throughout Guyana. There are hundreds of persons, especially young people, who are at home, not necessarily because there are no jobs, but because many of them are simply not interested in finding a job.
There are persons who do not want to work in Guyana. They would rather stay home and watch TV all day instead of going out job-hunting. For some, once Ma and Pa can supply three square meals, why bother to go seeking a job in which they will have to work eight hours strenuously for a mere $6,000 per day, when they can sit back and wait on their relatives overseas to send the monthly allowance for the family. So, there are numerous persons who find it suited to them not to look for work.
Then there are those persons who want only certain kind of work. They believe that the couple of subjects, which they passed at the CXC entitle them to an office job. Therefore, they will not take up employment to sell in a supermarket or store. They do not want to be seen doing those jobs which some of them describe as flunky.
There are some of our university graduates who believe that they have arrived because they have a degree. They refuse to take any and every job, which is offered to them. They want ‘big wuk’. Flaunting their tertiary education, they want to be managers and senior executives, regardless of the fact that they lack experience.
Employers have found that many persons with fancy certification are limited in terms of their functional literacy and the ability to apply their knowledge to work life situations. One employer complained that a university graduate could not properly draft a letter or compose a report – basic skills which are now needed in the corporate world.
Many workers have been found to be wanting in the practical aspects of their training. This means that employers have to invest more than usual in training.
Statistical analysis is another problem. ‘Cut and paste’ has also become a problem in many companies. As such as part of the interviewing process, some companies are giving applicants tests to assess their writing and analytical ability.
Construction work is always available. But the work ethic leaves much to be desired. Contractors are complaining that many of their workers, after they have been paid, do not return to work for the next two working days – they go on a drinking binge. As such, some firms are opting to pay their weekly workers on Mondays because when they pay them on Fridays, they miss both Saturdays and Monday work. But if they are paid on Monday, they will come to work in order to uplift their pay packet.
Another recurring problem is the high staff turnover. Workers are not sticking around for a long time. They work for a few years and then depart for greener pastures, either here or abroad. No wonder many firms are cagey about investing in training and pension schemes.
Given the sort of projects, which the government is attempting, labour will have to be imported. Labour will have to be brought in to complete the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, the gas-to-shore project and the Amaila Hydroelectric Project.
A recent report in the newspapers reported a Minister in Trinidad as indicating that Venezuelan labourers have been complementing the local workforce in the farming sector. Unlike in Trinidad, Guyana does not have a shortage of potential workforce in the agriculture sector. What we have are persons who are only willing to work a few days and to haggle over wages.
At present, there are huge numbers of Cubans working in the commercial district and in private construction. They do excellent work and give more than value for money. They are demonstrating a superior work ethic because absenteeism is not high among them.
The sugar industry can do with more reliable workers. And just perhaps, Guyana should look to both Cuba and Venezuela to supplement the local workforce.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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