Jagdeo and his 50,000 jobs!

Nov 18, 2023 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – Every day you encounter persons in Guyana and there is one common request.  “Can you help me find a job for my son or daughter?”  No matter which part of the country you go this is the constant refrain: our children want to work but they can’t find suitable jobs.

This pervasive demand for jobs is at total odds with the claim by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo that his government has created 50,000 jobs since it has assumed office. Jagdeo however, has presented no statistical basis to substantiate his claim of the creation of 50,000 jobs.  He keeps repeating this claim about 50,000 jobs but provides no evidence of this alleged achievement.

The official statistics do not provide clarity on this issue. While the official statistics do indicate a rise in employed persons over the 2019 level, there is an actual decline in the employed persons-to-population ratio. This incongruence raises questions and suggests that the employment numbers are not a simple linear function as Jagdeo presents.

The government’s own numbers suggest that in 2021, employment actually declined under the PPP/C with 13,000 less persons being employed between the first quarter of 2020 and 2021 and had declined further by the third quarter of 2021 to the point where 18,000 less persons were employed as compared to the first  quarter of 2020.

Statistical reliability is a problem in Guyana. As such, assessing the job market in Guyana is a daunting task due to the persisting statistical challenges. The lack of reliable and up-to-date data hampers efforts to accurately assess employment. Without a robust statistical foundation, any claims or promises made by political figures, including Vice President Jagdeo, remain open to scrutiny.

The anecdotal evidence contradicts what the Vice President is claiming. It is easy to suggest that 50,000 jobs were created but how many were lost due to the decline in sectors that have stagnated in recent years.

Fishing for example, is believed to have contracted by 5%. Gold was reported to have also declined and with the closure of a foreign mining company, hundreds were thrown out of employment.

The job market reality, as experienced by the youth, contradicts Vice President Jagdeo’s optimistic claims. Each year, a wave of school leavers flood the job market, eagerly seeking employment opportunities. Despite their enthusiasm and aspirations, a significant portion of these young individuals remains unemployed. The question that looms large is: How many of the purported 50,000 jobs have trickled down to these school leavers?

It also begs a question: if the economy was creating so many jobs as Jagdeo claims, why was it necessary for him to create a part-time jobs programme? This programme was created because the government recognized that its economic policies were not reaching down to the average man.

To gain a more holistic view of the job market, one must turn to the private sector. Contrary to the government’s narrative, the private sector paints a different picture. The implementation of Jagdeo’s part-time jobs program is cited as the main source of the crowding out of potential employees. Private sector employers are struggling to find workers, especially unskilled workers.

Even in sectors where job opportunities are expected to flourish, such as construction, contractors are facing a scarcity of workers. This incongruity raises concerns about the actual availability of jobs on the ground. If, as Vice President Jagdeo claims, 50,000 new jobs have been created, why are contractors struggling to find labour for their projects?

While the quantity of jobs is a point of contention, the quality and nature of these jobs are equally important. Young people leaving school with a bagful of academic certificates are not too keen on taking up laborer work. They want jobs in private offices or in the government. But those jobs are scarce and will become scarcer because of sincere employment practices by the government.

There is also a mismatch between the skills possessed by the workforce and the requirements of the job market. This exacerbates the employment crisis. The types of jobs needed to drive economic growth and development are evidently lacking. This creates a palpable sense of hopelessness among the youth who find themselves unemployable despite their qualifications and aspirations.

Moving forward, it is imperative for the government to prioritize the establishment of a robust statistical framework to accurately assess employment. Hopefully, the National Economic Survey, presently being conducted, will provide greater insights into the employment challenges facing the private sector. Only through a data-driven approach can Guyana hope to unravel the complexities of its job market and provide meaningful solutions to the growing challenges faced by its youth in securing gainful employment.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• Both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Government, Peeping Tom, PPP/C, Vice President

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