Govt to integrate 5000 PLWDs into the workforce – Pres Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that “we want 5000 Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) to be incorporated in the workforce.”

The President made the announcement during his feature address at the Guyana Tourism Authority’s Awards and Gala 2025 on Tuesday evening.
“…and we’re going to make it happen,” the Head of State assured, as he recognised the progress already being made by the Office of the First Lady.
“I want to recognise the work of the First Lady. Amazing work throughout this country; top-notch work,” he said, as he referenced her intervention in getting seven utility companies to each hire a PWD to represent their organisation at the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation at Palmyra, Berbice.
“They brought the private sector together, invested in a special building for persons living with disability and had the private sector agree to employ one person each in that building,” President Ali remarked.
The Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), ENet, One Communications, MMG, MoneyGram, and Western Union have all begun establishing service kiosks inside the Center and will begin offering a full suite of services to residents of Region Six by January 2026, a statement from the First Lady’s Office had noted. In addition to the 90 persons who are already employed at the facility, the seven companies have committed to hiring at least one person with a disability to manage their kiosk, it further noted.
“For years, we have been urging corporate Guyana to make inclusion a lived reality. This partnership shows what is possible when we work together for the good of all our people. The Centre was created to empower persons with disabilities, and today’s collaboration with these seven companies brings us even closer to that vision,” First Lady Arya Ali had expressed.
Just a few days ago, the Government announced that a state-of-the-art farming facility designed for PWDs will be established as part of the national push to make the agriculture sector more accessible and inclusive.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha had emphasised that the facility is not a welfare initiative but a long-term empowerment strategy, noting that too many persons living with disabilities are skilled but unable to find meaningful work.
In its manifesto, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has said it will develop and implement an updated Special Education Needs (SEN) policy aimed at ensuring that children with disabilities have an opportunity to acquire meaningful education.
Additionally, the PPP/C said it will increase the integration of children with disabilities into mainstream schools as well as establish SEN facilities in every region.
Furthermore, the party said it will increase the availability of durable mobility and other assistive aids, including electronic assistive aids, to persons with disabilities, ensuring greater independence.
The party will also create targeted job opportunities for PWDs, including through collaboration with the private sector and with the construction of more business centres for PWDs.
Moreover, the PPP/C will promote improved access to public buildings and public services for PWDs and provide special support to PWDs for access to house lots and housing solutions.
President Ali on Wednesday announced a one-off grant of $50,000 to be paid to PWDs before the end of the year; this measure will benefit some 27,000 persons.