SOME 2,000 part-time jobs have been allocated to residents of Region Three as government continues efforts countrywide to supplement incomes at the household level in light of the rising cost of living as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo made the announcement during a community meeting at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, on Friday. The announcement by Dr Jagdeo means that government will be investing some $960M into the region through the programme.

Earlier this week, the Vice-President announced that 1,000 such jobs will be provided to residents of Region Five, but noted that this number is expected to increase due to the high number of applicants there for the programme.

Persons employed under this programme will be placed at government offices, agencies or departments and in the case of Region Three, also do D&I work. Each will be paid $40,000 per month for 10 days’ work.

Dr Jagdeo explained that contrary to misinformation being peddled by elements of the APNU+AFC Coalition, the jobs are not temporary nor will they end after a short period, but are part-time. This means that after the one-year contract expires, it could be extended and the extension could be for an indefinite period.

Apart from Regions Three and Five, the part-time jobs programme has so far been rolled out in Region 10 where 1,000 persons have been employed; Region Two, where some 2,000 persons gained employment and Region Six, where 3,000 are now part of government offices, departments and agencies.

The PPP/C in its 2020 manifesto promised to create some 50,000 jobs in its first five years in office. Thus far, thousands of jobs have been created through the roll out of large-scale government projects and private sector investments. Under the part-time jobs progamme, some 10,000 are expected to be created to support incomes at the household level.

The vice-President at a separate meeting at Crane, West Coast Demerara, also announced that some $100M has been allocated to farmers in the region to purchase fertilisers for their crops.

This sum will be utilised by both rice and cash crop farmers. The farmers will form themselves in a committee and the committee will decide on the procurement and fair distribution of the commodity among their colleagues, both big and small. President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that the government will provide some $1B in free fertilisers to farmers following a steep rise in prices for the commodity.

The prices for fertilisers on the world market rose by 80 per cent in 2021 and have already risen by a further 30 per cent since the start of 2022. The support to farmers with free fertilisers is part of the government’s effort to absorb the rising global costs for the commodity, and to prevent the costs being passed on to consumers.