–Dr Jagdeo affirms; says this accusation is ‘patently false’

IN a scathing response to perpetual allegations, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, has quashed the rumour that imported labourers will be treated better than locals.

During a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Dr Jagdeo pointed out the “fake love” that the People’s National Congress-Reform (PNC-R) is showing to public servants.
Despite Guyana undergoing rapid development, the government has said on several occasions that there is a labour shortage.

Specifically, with there being the construction of 12 new hospitals nationwide, Dr Jagdeo stated: “We need more doctors, more nurses…we have to recruit people to work in these hospitals to make sure our people get the best quality care. We can’t just build the hospitals and leave them there without staff.”

During a press conference on Thursday, the opposition claimed that the imported labourers will be treated better than Guyanese; however, the PPP General Secretary refuted this allegation that foreigners will receive higher salaries than locals.

Dr Jagdeo said: “It is patently false…They don’t even know the contract… any person who is recruited from abroad to work in the public sector, their conditions of service will be no better than what Guyanese get….It will be comparable to what our people get for the particular skill.”

For context, a few days ago, a statement was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation in response to a letter that is circulating in the media regarding the recruitment of foreign healthcare workers.

The ministry in response to a request from Sigma Engineers Ltd., issued the letter to confirm that the agency was authorised to recruit healthcare workers, with the view to addressing concerns raised by both the public and private sectors on the severe skills shortage in the health sector.

The Private Sector Commission has, on numerous occasions, according to the statement, requested the government’s assistance in addressing the need to fill the skills shortages not only in the health sector, but also in the critical sectors of construction, engineering, and services, given the expansion and growth of Guyana’s economy.

In this regard, the recruitment agency was appointed to liaise with relevant authorities from various countries to recruit healthcare workers including, but not limited to, Bangladeshis.
The statement then read: “It is within this context that the authorisation letter was issued by the ministry to prevent issues such as human trafficking or any abuse of this process.”
Moreover, Dr Jagdeo highlighted the PPP government’s track record in office and the evolution of wages and salaries and conditions of service in the public sector under them.

He said: “This fake love for public servants and people in the public sector is what I just said, is fake. It’s crocodile tears and APNU is good at that.”
He also stated: “You get a lot of “we love you” statements and slogans from the PNC but when you actually check the facts, you will see that the greatest progress has been made under the PPP.”