Dear Editor,
We all know that women in the workforce contribute to a higher national economic output as measured in GDP, as well as decreasing labour costs by increasing the labour supply in a society.
So, it is very wholesome that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government is looking to add some 100,000 women to the current labour force, and is bent on “…making an aggressive push to do so, through training.”
This thrust, according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, emanates from the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM’s) 2022 country report intimating that “…if Guyana were to harness all of its unemployed, underemployed and discouraged workers, the potential supply of labour would be only 63,500 in the medium term (and what the country really needs is) “…approximately 160,000 workers.” Thus, we can understand the need to really ‘fire up’ things.
The VP conveyed that “…the Government is optimistic that Guyana could harness even more labour than the IOM estimates, especially if more women enter the formal workforce.” And why not?
First, in slanting towards more women in the workforce, the country will be doing a number of good things for the women folk: boosting their self-esteem; shutting down negativities and stereo-typing; supporting women-run businesses (as is already happening); giving the required proper education and training; and of course, piloting them towards their deserved liberation (from patriarchal settings).
Another good thing to remember is that many from the developed world, namely the United States of America, find women ‘indistinguishable’ from men on key leadership traits such as intelligence and capacity for innovation, with many saying they’re stronger than men in terms of being compassionate and organized leaders. This was disclosed in a recent Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership.
Yet, in many places, we are likely to see fewer women in top-tier executive positions. And why? Some reason that many companies are still struggling to provide the necessary opportunities to set up women employees for success. Even with the increase in women leaders in recent years, men are still being promoted at a higher rate than women, allowing them access to the people and tools they need to continue their success within a company.
I guess the PPP/C is about to target this injustice.
The word from Jagdeo is that “We think if we can get more rural and more rural women, maybe hinterland women and some urban by providing daycare with the kids, then we can add probably just in female labour participation, maybe 100,000 of our people to the labour force.”
After all, as he pointed out, “For some time, there have been reports of labour shortage in various sectors. The possibility of importing labour has also been explored”. According to Jagdeo, however, the “Government is still holding out in the hope of ensuring more Guyanese take up these employment opportunities.”
That hope resides in the reality that in the country there is “…an aggressive training programme in the Ministry of Labour (and) we have about 17,000 people on scholarships now through the GOAL programme. There are lots of these activities going on to bring our own people into the labour force, and more and more Guyanese are working now”, is how Jagdeo succinctly summarised it.
Editor, let me conclude by imploring our women to make the most of current developmental happenings in the country. If our females can latch on to the possibility of being employed in a dignified way – earning money in an honest way, and being empowered with a voice and a say – then our country will be a force to be reckoned with.
Yours truly,
HB Singh
