THE government is set to host a job fair in New York, in the hope of attracting members of the Guyanese Diaspora back to their homeland.
This initiative is in response to a significant skills and resource gap identified by international and local assessments, highlighting a need for approximately 100,000 skilled professionals, due to the rapid transformation of Guyana’s economy.
A research paper done by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) indicates that around 550,000 Guyanese live abroad. The study has also revealed that between 1965 and 2000, nearly 90% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary-level education, and 40% of those with secondary education emigrated from Guyana.
With Guyana’s recent economic advancements, there has been a noticeable trend of Guyanese nationals returning to their homeland. The government has introduced various policies and initiatives to encourage this reverse migration.
“This will be happening in a very short while, whereby we’ll be targetting the persons who are there, letting them know what opportunities exist in Guyana, what skills we need, and how they can contribute,” Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told the Department of Public Information (DPI).
He emphasised that not only are Guyanese expatriates returning, but their children are also being encouraged to contribute to the country’s development.
“Already, we have seen an influx of persons returning to Guyana, addressing the skill gap of over 100,000. What we are seeing is that there is a renewed interest from the second generation, who have built their capacity in various sectors. They are also returning to Guyana,” Persaud noted.
The positive economic climate in Guyana creates a favourable environment for both returnees and new migrants, ensuring their retention within the country. Persaud highlighted the detrimental impact of the brain drain over the past decades, and the importance of reversing this trend.
“Any developing country such as ours, losing one skill can have an impact. And, unfortunately, in Guyana, we’ve lost many skilled workers, and some of our biggest minds. In the last half-century, Guyanese have made a significant contribution to other countries and industries across the world. This brain drain has negatively impacted our country, and we are trying to change that,” he explained.
To address this, the government is rolling out initiatives aimed at retaining talent within the country and developing the capacity of its workforce to propel Guyana’s burgeoning economy.
As Guyana continues to grow, these efforts to reconnect with its diaspora are critical in bridging the skills gap and ensuring sustainable economic development. The upcoming job fair in New York marks a significant step towards achieving these goals, inviting skilled professionals to return home and be part of Guyana’s promising future.
