Latest update November 18th, 2024 1:00 AM
Latest News
- ExxonMobil eyeing 8th project despite Jagdeo says 7th ‘iffy’
- City Mayor slams govt. for favouring foreign companies over locals for tax concessions
- Pope Francis urges inquiry into Gaza genocide allegations
- New aircraft for GDF commissioned
- Importing truck drivers from Bangladesh, a disrespect to Guyanese – Norton
Guyana imports over 60 truck drivers to support Ogle to Eccles road project – Min. Edghill
Kaieteur News – Some 60 foreign nationals are employed in Guyana as truck drivers on the Ogle to Eccles road project, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill announced on Friday.
“We are actually importing labour, I can give you one example and it might shock you. We were left with no choice but to grant work permit for the contractor that is building the Ogle to Eccles road to bring in drivers, drivers, [and] an elementary job like drivers to drive heavy duty equipment, trucks,” the Minister pointed out.
The Minister was at the time speaking at a Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Guyana’s Labour Needs, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s, Diaspora Unit held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre
“And I could assure you through the Ministry of Public Works and through their own advertising, they have been hunting to get drivers locally for those trucks, so that is just an indication of how the demand for labour is becoming,” he stated.
Minister Edghill said the labour shortage has affected not only the traditional sectors of teaching and nursing but also the country’s booming infrastructure sector.
The forum which was also attended by Senior Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Minister of Home Affair, Robeson Benn among other stakeholders is to discuss important concerns affecting the local labour market and ways in which this can be addressed.
Minister Edghill in his brief remarks said that currently, a number of large projects are ongoing pointing to highway to connect Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) to Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) as well as a road to connect to Silica City and eventually on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway and then connecting to Timehri which would eventually give access to the airport.
The Public Works Minister said that in addition to the ongoing road works, a child health hospital is being erected; hotels, a bridge to connect Guyana to Suriname, the building of harbours are also on the horizon.
Further, the minister noted that a number of hotels are being constructed and likewise there is a need for skilled workers.
“So in terms of what are the labour needs in Guyana, in highlighting to Guyanese and those in the Diaspora, we need quantities, which means we need more people and we also need more people who are skilled, equipped and trained,” he stated.
Speaking to Guyanese in the Diaspora on Friday, the minister related that the vision behind giving the 20,000 scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme and the expansion of the technical and vocational training through the Ministry of Education is to increase the number of skilled persons in the country.
The US$106.4 million contract for the Ogle to Eccles four-lane road project was awarded to an Indian firm – Ashoka Buildcon Limited.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill speaking at the forum on Friday. (Photo courtesy, Ministry of Public Works)
The project which is being financed through a loan provided by the Export-Import Bank of India will see the construction of a 7.8 kilometres, four-lane highway with each one of the lanes measuring 3.6 metres wide.
“We understand that we might need about a 1000 certified welders and that is one of the reason that is why an investment is taking place in Berbice to establish that training center and I understand in its current design, it will help to train and create the kind of skill sets that are needed for people in the oil and gas sector also to train and equip people that are needed in the hospitality sector as well,” Minister Edghill said.
President Irfaan Ali at his July 12, 2023 press conference told reporters that the Government of Guyana is in talks with the Republic of Cuba to have that country’s nurses join Guyana’s workforce in a bid to address labour shortage.
“Up to this morning (July 12), I had a long discussion with the Ambassador to see if he can get Cuban nurses to come into the system now, in the immediate period to help to fill that gap because of the tremendous shortage that we have,” the President said.
The President said Guyana is not the only country facing labour shortage and pointed to Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Europe while adding that the world is on a recruitment drive for nurses.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Traditional media is still king
…Peeping Tom Kaieteur News-Election campaigns are a battle for attention, persuasion, and votes. In this digital age,... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
