Dear Editor,
OBSERVERS and commentators alike are quick to look at everything the government does through racial or some form of discriminatory lens without any analysis and logical reasoning whatsoever. This is an unfortunate reality in our society.
To this end, I have seen some criticisms that the government announced 800-part time jobs for Region Two, another 800-part time jobs for Region 10, and some 3,000-part time jobs for Region Six.
The question by observers is what is so special about Berbice (Region Six) to be getting almost three times more part-time job opportunities than Regions Two and 10.
Well, the answer is simple: nothing is special and there is absolutely no discrimination here for the following simple, logical reason:
According to the last census (2012), the population of Regions Two, Six and 10 are as follows: Region Two – 46,810; Region Six – 109,431 and Region 10 – 39,452.
Clearly, Region Six population is about three times the population size of Regions Two, and 10. Region Six also may have a higher unemployment rate given the closure of sugar estates a few years ago and the lack of investment over the years in that region.
Region Two is a predominately rice farming region, not as badly affected as the people in Berbice with the closure of the sugar estates and Region 10 has subsidised electricity where the residents of that region enjoy cheaper electricity rates than residents across the country, thus, a competitive advantage of Region 10 for light if not heavy manufacturing activities, attractive for investments of these nature.
In short, the fact that Region Six is highly likely to have a higher unemployment rate and a larger population than Regions Two and 10, almost three times the population size of those regions, then to benefit from three times the amount of part-time jobs than Regions Two and 10 could only be fair and equitable given the unique situation of each region, and taking into consideration the population size of each region.
Yours sincerely,
J.C. Bhagwandin
Financial Analyst