Retirees should be retrained to re-enter world of work – Labour Minister

There is a need to retrain persons who have retired so that they can become marketable and return to the world of work. This is according to Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton.
“Many at the age of retirement are still healthy, strong, full of capacity, full of life, full of experience and full of intellect,” Minister Hamilton said while noting that one teacher joined the profession at the age of 18 and gave 37 years of her life to moulding hundreds of persons and on her 55th birthday, she was given a letter sending her into retirement.
“That is most unfair,” Hamilton declared.
He was at the time addressing more than 100 students at St Francis Community Developers on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Wednesday.
The students who are being trained in customer care and hospitality (30), care for the elderly/sick (32), agro-processing (30) and child care (16) are all part of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) programme.
They are on the third week of the three- and six-month courses.
“That is the reason why none of our programmes have an age limit,” Minister Hamilton continued.
“I believe that we have to reskill retirees to go back into the world of work so that at least they can take care of themselves. We know of many persons who were teachers and good public servants and today they are actually destitute because with the little pension, they cannot make it.”
Referring to those pensioners, Hamilton said their standard of living has declined.
“You know when they give the teacher the letter, nobody concern if she still has a mortgage at Republic Bank. How are they going to take care of themselves? That is why BIT we have had graduations from the age of 16 years to 61. None of our programmes have an age limit,” he reiterated.
Programmes being run by BIT are also not gender specific. These programmes are fully sponsored by the Government. Additionally, a stipend is given to students to assist with their travel to and from classes.
The BIT provides certified training in areas ranging from mechanics to food decoration and also includes heavy-duty machinery operation and garment making.
According to Hamilton, when he took over the Labour Ministry in 2020 after the People’s Progressive Party was elected to office, BIT had been training between 1300 and 1500 persons annually.
Last year, 3086 persons were trained and BIT had estimated that this year 4500 persons will be trained in different fields. However, Hamilton said that from all indications, there would be about 6000 persons receiving training from BIT this year.
Currently, in Region Six, there about 300 persons undergoing training in different fields.
Meanwhile, pointing out some of the benefits of providing training to persons, the Labour Minister noted training impacted on the security of the country.
“I believe the more people we train, it is less people we would have jumping into people’s houses to steal. The more people we train, it is less people we would have seeking to lash in your car window seeking to take your computer out of your car if you forget it. The more people we train, the less people would want to snatch your chain off of your neck or snatch the phone out of your hand while you are having a conversation. So, the issue of training and development of persons impacts on our security personally and that of our children and our community,” he explained.
According to the Labour Minister, persons should try to be trained in more than one area thus making themselves more marketable. (G4)