WORKERS who were laid off from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) have been given an opportunity to take up jobs in the mining sector, with the Guyana Goldfields Inc, Aurora Gold Mines (AGM).

Earlier this year, cash-strapped GuySuCo had to lay off some 4,000 workers in order to keep the sugar industry viable, but government had forged ahead with training for those former employees, with support from the Small Business Bureau and other stakeholders.
Evidently, the private sector has also provided opportunities for the ex-workers. According to a letter from AGM, the company offered skilled persons the opportunity to turn their technical training towards employment in the mining sector.

AGM made the offer to workers during a recent five-day recruitment exercise. As part of the exercise, the company’s recruitment team endeavoured to secure the services of the ex-employees to boost the efficiency of the mining operations.

“This was also in recognition of the fact that many of these employees who were recently laid off were graduates of the sugar industry’s training centre, and possess many years of experience in much-needed skill areas,” said the company.
The recruitment was done in communities close to various sugar estates that have been either closed or down-sized, including Corriverton, and on Sunday at the J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School at Rose Hall.

Interviews were also completed on Monday at the Canje Secondary School and on Tuesday, at the Enmore Community Centre. On Wednesday, the same opportunities were offered at Wales, West Bank Demerara, for persons to be employed as positions become open.
AGM’s human resources team led the exercise, supported by personnel from the various departments scouting for technical talents, including the mines, mill, maintenance workshops and security and camp services.

The prospective employees were told that this exercise was held to refresh and update the company’s skills database, so that they could be considered for employment in currently existing vacancies, as well as for any job openings that may subsequently arise, especially in the face of the company’s expansion plans.

Residents of those areas turned out in huge numbers, eagerly seeking information about the company’s operations.

Over 30 persons participated in the on-the-spot interviews at Corriverton, over 200 persons were present in Canje and Berbice, and an additional 200 persons at Enmore to vie for these job opportunities.

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, had in the past said that government is ready to support the private sector in their effort to absorb the retrenched sugar workers.

Members of the private sector had mobilised teams and visited communities where persons are directly affected by the down-sizing of the sugar industry.

“It has been admirable that they can begin to show that they are cooperative entities and that they think about the population,” said Scott, adding that he lauds the efforts of the private sector to ensure that the workers do not remain unemployed for long.

A few months ago, a fair was organised by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Region Three Chamber of Commerce and received support from various ministries, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and over 20 local companies.

The event saw close to 800 residents of Patentia and surrounding areas being hired on the spot by various private and public companies.