Formal immigration policy likely at some stage – VP

– says jobs abound that Govt wants locals to take advantage of

Guyana has grown at such a rapid pace that the opportunities for employment abound all around, and, according to Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo, a formal immigration policy is likely to be introduced at some point in time.
Jagdeo was at the time speaking during a recent forum organised by the University of Guyana (UG) Economic Society. According to the VP, who was responding to a question about job availability, job opportunities are actually all around.

“The opportunities are going to abound. At some stage, we’re going to have to have a formal immigration policy. Right now, so as not to overload the labour market, like the bridge where the Chinese are building, we allowed them to bring in their labourers. Because if we had to wait on our people, that bridge would take a long period into the future.”
“And they have a deadline to finish it at the end of the year. The same way like some of these roads. But they supplement the labour market. In the future, we’d have to have a migration policy. We haven’t gotten there as yet. We allow it on an ad hoc basis. That is why we’re evolving now.”
Jagdeo noted that by next year, the electronic ID cards will be issued, which will feature biometric data for citizens and non-citizens, enabling the Government to track everyone, determine how many skilled persons are in the country and be able to make policy decisions with the labour market in mind… though he emphasised that Guyanese will get additional benefits from the card.
“We have a shortage of plumbers, masons, electricians, all of these. And you have seen it reflected, if you talk economics, in the higher price you have to pay for a plumber now or an electrician if you call them home. Because there are shortages in these areas. That is why, outside of the 30,000 scholarships through the GOAL (Guyana Online Academy of Learning) programme and making university free, we also did about 20,000 persons who were trained in (technical vocational) skills by Minister Hamilton and Vindhya Persaud through the WIIN (Women’s Innovation and Investment Network) programme.”
“So, to fill that gap, in other regions it is turning out to be the same. We haven’t been able, in all the regions, to get as much employment as we have in (regions) three and four. But we’re faced with labour shortages in many skill areas,” Jagdeo further explained.
The VP noted that for persons working blue collar jobs such as in construction, there is no shortage of opportunities. When it comes to other, more technologically focused jobs, Jagdeo assured that opportunities are also growing in these areas.
The same holds true for the medical field, where he noted there is a great demand for medical workers.
“You can walk off one construction site and go to another and get a job immediately. And the salaries have gone up. But if you start transitioning to white collar, a lot of this is dependent too on what you study. And this is going to be vital for the future. Because if you’re an accountant or someone in technology or engineering, then immediately you’re mopped up by everyone. Government, private sector, oil and gas, etc.”
“Now if you studied something else, it becomes slightly harder. And so, the choice of career will have to shift to where the opportunities are, in agriculture. That is why we’ve laid out our diversification plan for agriculture, but smart agriculture, using more technology. AI (Artificial Intelligence). The digital society, bringing our Government services,” Jagdeo added.
In addition to the electronic ID, the Government has also been implementing a more streamlined, automatic process for immigration services. Back in October, several electronic gates (e-Gates) were installed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to streamline the processing of incoming and outgoing passengers.
The e-Gates will allow up to six passengers to be processed simultaneously under the supervision of a single officer. Travellers opting for self-check-in will have their passports and identities verified using biometric data, such as photographs.
Once verified, passengers will pass through a physical gate and proceed to customs. One major advantage of the system is its ability to use existing data, speeding up departure processing for passengers returning within a short period.
For added security, the e-Gates are integrated with the Global Resilient Critical Communication (GRCC) database, which works with INTERPOL to screen flagged individuals. If a passenger’s identity fails to be verified, the gate will remain closed, and the system will alert immigration officers.