‘Reliable’ workers a growing concern amid construction boom – Housing Minister

Labour shortages are a growing concern given the increased activity in several sectors but Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal says that some workers are also unreliable.

The Housing and Water Minister, during a walkabout of the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Housing Scheme last week, pointed out that there are several housing projects ongoing across the country.

Because of that, the demand for workers has increased and Croal said contractors have been employing several strategies to ensure that enough workers support their projects to guarantee that the housing developments are completed in time.

Beyond that, however, the Housing Minister noted that there are complaints of unreliable workers. According to him, there are reports of labourers failing to show up to work on Mondays after engaging in more leisurely activities at the weekend.

“It’s a reality, we don’t speak about these things,” Croal said.

He, however, opined that the growing demand for workers should encourage people to work more diligently.

“… the contractors can tell you that they all have work.

“Anyone who actually does good work will get more work and they can get more than they can accommodate,” he posited.

The government and private sector have spoken out about labour shortages in Guyana, particularly in regions where productivity in some sectors increased substantially.

Last week, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said the government will allow companies to hire foreign workers if they can demonstrate that their projects are being substantially impacted by labour shortages and show what their specific needs are.

Additionally, he said the government itself could hire skilled foreign workers if there are sustained difficulties finding highly skilled workers for key technical positions.

He, however, emphasised that the government wants Guyanese gainfully employed before foreign workers are tapped.