Vice President Jagdeo says govt. also seeking co-invest partnerships to create even more jobs in targeted regions
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Some 800 part-time jobs in Guyana’s Region 10 are expected to come onboard in the coming weeks as the government pursues an ambitious mission to increase employment in targeted areas.
Region 10 encompasses the Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice area, where bauxite is a primary industry and agriculture is also an economic driver to a lesser extent.
Guyanese Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo meets with residents of Region 10, where the government has announced plans to create some 800 new jobs in the coming weeks.
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo made the announcement last week while meeting with residents as part of the government’s efforts to “engage people on the ground to get a better understanding of their issues with a view to resolving them”.
“Within the next three weeks, we’re going to employ about 800 people in this region so that they can get a job,” he revealed.
Jagdeo suggested the former government “did not pay enough attention to job-creating activities”, and their policies “were inimical to the growth of employment and the expansion of economic activities”.
As such, he said his government assumed office with a motive to remedy unemployment.
He referenced a call center his administration recently rebuilt, noting, “We have 127-something persons working there and we’re hoping to support that venture and many others like that so they get to hundreds of people employed in this area.”
More and more employment
Guyanese Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo meets with residents of Region 10, where the government has announced plans to create some 800 new jobs in the coming weeks.
In addition to the 800 new jobs to be created in Region 10, Jagdeo said his government has also committed to co-investing programmes with an aim to build even more call centers and factories that will in turn employ even more people.
“We’ve already set aside a significant amount of money to do co-investing,” he announced.
“So, I mentioned to you about how we built the call center, but we are prepared to build many more call centers or factories if we find investors who are prepared to make an investment in this region.”
According to Jagdeo, a major issue the government must contend with is most investors wanting to do business in regions with the most economic activities, where there are already “lots of jobs in those areas”.
He said the government is therefore seeking to incentivize businesses to operate in areas where jobs are lacking.
“So,” he said, “if anyone knows of any investor who will do a number of jobs, but on a sustained basis, then we are prepared to co-invest with them…
“I believe, jointly, we can put together hundreds of jobs in these areas through this co-investment facility.”
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