Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:10 AM
Oct 05, 2014 Letters
Dear Editor,
I refer to the Tuesday last editorial of the Kaieteur News (September 30, 2014) with the lead words, “Staff turnerover and the job market.” The editorial begins; “One columnist commented recently on the high turnover of staff at two establishments.” The editorial didn’t identify the two retail outlets I had named in my column – Survival Supermarket on Sheriff Street and Giftland Office Max.
In my column, I made a comparison with other businesses which the editorial writer overlooked. I now return to it. Why is it that at two dozen other places I patronize, the staff has been there for years but not so at Survival Supermarket?
What is interesting for commentators and researchers to note is that a huge retail entity, Budget Supermarket, opened up three years ago right next to Survival and four young ladies left Survival and went over to Budget; they are still there
Why are they still at Budget? In those three years, I have seen dozens and dozens of young men and women pass through Survival. It is a thing to behold. You have to see it for yourself. You meet these nice young people from different types of ethnicities, different parts of Region 3 and 4. Yes, they come as far as Region 3 to work at Survival.
I met this young lady from Essequibo at Survival and she literally begged me to get her another job because with the rent she was paying in Cummings Lodge plus transport cost, she had no income.
She had six CSEC passes with both English and Math. I asked Mike Khan, the CEO of the Georgetown Hospital to do his best and he came through. Today that young lady has earned promotion at the Georgetown Hospital and is set. I will always be grateful to Mike Khan who helped that Essequibo girl or should I say rescued her from an uncertain future at Survival. That was about ten years ago, so you could well imagine how many more requests for better employment I got from Survival employees.
I don’t have the answer for why those trainees never stay at Giftland Office Max. But this I know; now that Office Max will be moving just next door to where I live, I will research the staff and see who stays and who leaves. They said that they have a large number of employees who recently responded to their call to fill pressing vacancies. It is easy to check on them. When I am driving home every morning, I will stop in to see if the nice people I met last week are still there
I have my reasons for the huge and constant exodus from these two business entities and a few others but I think someone should do the research. I mean why these two places cannot retain their staff?
In fairness to other establishments, I will list a few that I go to often where the staff are there for years; Mattai’s; Nigel’s; Banks DIH, all their outlets; Budget Supermarket; Bonny’s Supermarket; Roti Shop on Sheriff Street; Hot and Spicy on Albert Street; Austin’s Book Store; Spicy Dish on David Street, Kitty; Avon DVD Club on Camp Street; Movieland in the Regency Mall on Regent Street; Kanhai’s Electrical, the two outlets on Regent Street; Medicare Pharmacy on New Market Street; Mario’s Pizza. I have known employees working at these places for years. What is wrong at Survival where they never stay and Giftland Office Max where only a few remain? I guess this is one of the mysteries of the retail trade in Guyana
Frederick Kissoon
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