HGP Nightly News – Attorney General Anil Nandlall is urging Guyanese to get qualified and certified as competition for jobs increases across the country.
He said locals are increasingly competing with skilled and disciplined foreign workers for opportunities in Guyana’s growing economy.
Nandlall made the remarks on Tuesday at a graduation ceremony for 288 persons trained through the Board of Industrial Training.
He said government is investing in education, training and upskilling to prepare Guyanese for new jobs.
At the same time, he disclosed that regulatory and legislative changes are being considered to give locals greater protection in the labour market.
Nandlall said Guyanese should be given priority. But he stressed that workers must also have the qualifications employers require.
“You have to help yourselves. You have to qualify yourselves. You have to be certified,” he said.
He pointed to the growing hotel sector as an example.
Nandlall said someone may be an excellent cook, electrician, plumber or mason but could still lose an opportunity to someone with recognised certification.
He said this becomes even more important when seeking employment with international companies.
Nandlall maintained that government does not want Guyanese workers displaced by foreign labour.
However, he acknowledged that Guyana operates a free economy and qualified foreigners cannot simply be excluded from employment.
He said the government’s approach will therefore involve stronger protections for Guyanese while ensuring locals are properly trained to compete for available jobs.
