Migration, labour laws under review to increase workforce in Guyana – Pres. Ali

The Attorney General’s Office is reviewing foreign laws and policies to help craft a modern legislative framework for importing labour to support Guyana’s development.

President Ali pointed this out as he outlined a new suite of proposals to be implemented if reelected on September 1.

“We are in the final stages now of reviewing all of the migration, documentation, and labour laws that other countries would have utilised to come up with our own migration policy and strategy to support the development,” he said.

The proposal is part of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) plan to maintain quality services in the public and private sectors. President Ali noted that as Guyana’s economy continues to surge, so must its workforce.

“The Attorney General’s office [has] already drafted the framework for that new legislation because we need the people to push this development,” he explained.

But President Ali emphasised that his government will not allow foreign labour to be imported until the local workforce is fully utilised.

“We are going to ensure one thing. That we maximise what we have here,” President Ali affirmed.

To achieve that goal, the head of state noted that the PPP/C intends to further expand the local content legislation to ensure Guyanese businesses can continue to benefit directly from the petroleum sector.

“We also want to continue to review the local content legislations, so that more and more opportunities can be delivered to our local private sector, especially the small and medium-sized enterprises,” he detailed.

Already on the cards is the establishment of a development bank, which is expected to offer zero-interest loans to small businesses. This initiative, the president said, will drive down the cost of financing at commercial banks, making access to capital more affordable.

“So, if we’re able to match lending with a zero per cent interest rate, we can bring down the interest rate in the commercial banks from six per cent or seven per cent to three per cent for [small and medium enterprises],” he explained.

The president also proposed an infrastructure plan to open about 100,000 acres of farmland for cultivation to support industrial and manufacturing growth.

These initiatives are expected to fuel growth, create jobs, and improve livelihoods across the country.

[Department of Public Information]