‘We need to develop local skills, too many of which we currently import’ – Min. Benn

Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn has expressed concern over the current situation in the country, where labour is being imported for jobs that could be filled by Guyanese who are not upskilling themselves.

“We have to focus on being better Guyanese: better aware, better skilled, better educated. And I keep saying everyday, we have to sign for people coming from overseas to do jobs which Guyanese can do,” Minister Benn bemoaned.

He was at the time delivering remarks at the opening of the Guyana Prison Services’ (GPS) Senior Officers Conference today.

Last year, the Local Content Secretariat (LCS) had said it will be working with the Ministry of Home Affairs for a more coordinated approach to the issuance of work permits for the oil and gas sector.

According to Minister Benn, Guyanese ought to take up opportunities for training, so they can contribute to addressing the labour shortages problem in the country.

“We have to develop the skills needed for national development because when we have the skills necessary for national development, too much of which we import now, we would be in a better position…,” the minister expressed.

“We have to get those young men in apprenticeship and work on guidance and we, men, have to give them better examples so they don’t fall down to the bottom of the social structure,” he noted.

On this point, the minister stressed the need for rehabilitation of prisoners, so they can contribute meaningfully to the economy upon their release from the prison system.

Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton recently revealed that the Guyana Government is developing its migrant labour policy to regulate the influx of skilled foreign workers in the country.

Minister Hamilton said the Ministry of Home Affairs frequently processes work permits for labour from Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti. He had explained that while migrant labour is not a new phenomenon in Guyana, the current scale of demand necessitates well-structured policies to manage its impact effectively.

LCS Director Dr Martin Pertab had previously noted that capacity exists locally for Guyanese to fill roles in a number of areas including logistics, accounting, human resources, and health and safety.