President says workers will benefit from Guyana’s economic transformation

May 02, 2023 ExxonMobil, News, Oil & Gas

Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali has assured that workers will benefit from the country’s economic and social transformation being driven by the oil and gas sector.

His assurance comes at a time when workers have been complaining about the daily challenges of feeding their children and the high cost of living and inflation rate. With $5 billion set aside in this year’s budget to ease the high cost of living, government is yet to reveal its strategy to cushion these effects across the board.

President Irfaan Ali delivering his address on May Day

During a live statement on the occasion of Labour Day, the Head of State highlighted that the country is presently on an irreversible trajectory towards greater progress and prosperity. He was keen to note that workers are pivotal to the success of this process.

As such, he noted, “I assure all the workers of Guyana that not only will they benefit significantly from the country’s economic and social transformation but that they will be one of the principal forces driving this process.” Ali went on to point out the way in which his government has been ensuring workers benefit from the growth of the country. He also outlined measures that can be expected in the future. To this end, the President boasted that his government has already reintroduced the ‘Because we Care’ cash grant to support parents in educating their children, since they care for the working class.

In addition, he said that out of concern for the workers, despite the constraints the administration faced upon assuming office in 2020, it still brought relief to households across the country during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He said, “It is because we are a working class government that we have supported workers in key sectors of the economy. It is because we value our workers that we paid benefit to our heroic front line health and security sector workers and adjusted the salaries of others in the security and health sector.”

Ali pointed out that because the government is committed to progressively improving workers disposable incomes, it increased the minimum wage of private sector workers, enhanced public sector wages, removed a number of taxes and took steps to cushion inflation. “It is because people matter that we are supporting the vulnerable through increased pensions and public assistance. It is because we recognize the struggles of the poor that initiatives such as the ‘Men on Mission’ is reaching out to neediest of the needy in our society,” the President added.

He related that working class families are now being provided with opportunities and by the end of 2025, more than 50,000 families would have house lots to build their own homes. “This will provide them with great economic security,” he said, adding that their children will also benefit from improved education including free University education by the end of 2025 through the Guyana Online Academy and the Get Ready to Work programme. In the meantime, the President noted that the health care sector is also being revolutionised to ensure greater access to citizens and quality care to all.

“The expansion of the economy and increase in public expenditure are creating more and better jobs for Guyanese. These and other working class gains are best secured by a united labour movement. Sadly yet another May Day finds the local labour movement divided. A fractured labour movement undermines workers solidarity. This is far from desirable in protecting workers’ rights and consolidating their gains,” he related. On this note, the President pointed out that it is the role of workers to restore vigor, vitality and accountability in their Unions.

He noted that a new compass is needed between the labour movement and the government and between the Union and its members. He said he is prepared to be part of fashioning a new era of relations between government, the labour movement and the private sector, to join forces in advancing the rights of workers. “Let us work together to end exploitation, eradicate child labour, improve workers safety, ensure social protection, address labour shortages and ensure greater competiveness and efficiency- all of which are vital to long term and sustainable growth and development,” the Head of State urged.