By Leroy Smith
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The ongoing three day recruitment drive by the management of Giftland OfficeMax has brought to the fore, the level of unemployment among persons residing along the East Coast Demerara.
iNews visited the construction site for the mall at Liliendaal, E.C.D on Friday and spoke with several applicants and management representatives who were present. Tomorrow (Sunday, September 1) is the final day for the exercise.
One representative of the company related that the recruitment drive has “opened a can of worms”; referring to the number of persons, especially young people, living along the East Coast Demerara who are not employed.
Among those seeking employment are male and female single parents; retired professionals; University of Guyana Graduates and a large number of high school graduates along with drop outs. The discovery has signaled the need for more job creation.
When iNews spoke with persons who live along the East Coast of Demerara on their inability to secure jobs, many of them reported that because of the far distance from the capital they are at a disadvantage.
Others reported that they were employed but because of transportation issues, especially in the morning, they were laid off for untimely arrival and in some cases absenteeism.
Giftland has advised that there will be no extensions of the interviewing process even as more persons are expected to show up today, the final day of the three day recruitment drive.
Meanwhile, the company will also be paying special attention to the accessibility of persons with disabilities when accessing the facility.
Chief Executive Officer of the company Roy Beepat told iNews that special features and system are in place to accommodate persons with disabilities.
Up to late yesterday the persons conducting the interviewing session related to iNews that between Friday and Saturday just over two thousand persons were interviewed and of that amount 90% have been short listed to join the team.
The Giftland Mall will also be operating on its own electricity plant which has the capacity to power thousands of homes, according to the company CEO.
9.5 million currently unemployed in the USA. This is about ten Guyana’s population and not workforce. There are millions more who is not even looking for work.
The people here, looking for work, seemed to be well dressed and is in the competition to get jobs.
The best will always get good jobs.
Boils down to people need to be educated.
I remember in PNC days a 25% unemployed is the norm of the day.
The Opposition through their budgets cuts has stymied growth.
They have in essence spooked potential investors, thus killing jobs and employment.
The unemployed should go knocking on Mr Granger and Mr Ramjattan’s doors. After all many voted them there and as in Linden, blindedly like a bat, voted race.
They asked for it they get it!
Great! How many positions are they looking to fill?