RAISED by a single mother who worked tirelessly as a housekeeper to provide for her children, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, has strongly condemned opposition member Juretha Fernandes for her disrespectful and demeaning remarks about Guyanese workers and their occupations.

During the 2025 budget presentation, Minister Indar expressed his deep disappointment over Fernandes’ comments, which he noted resonated with him on a personal level.
Fernandes had referred to certain occupations, including cleaners in the hotel industry, as “small jobs,” a characterisation that Indar and his colleagues found dismissive and offensive.
The minister emphasised that there is no shame in honest work, particularly among the youths who take on these roles. He noted that Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, had already addressed the issue, highlighting that such statements reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the tourism sector and a disregard for hardworking Guyanese citizens.

Minister Indar shared his personal background to underscore the value of honest labour. “I came from Vreed-en-Hoop. I was born and raised there, but my mother was a single parent. My father left when I was two years old, but my mother, who was a Tactical Services Unit (TSU) rank, also did cleaning work. She was a housekeeper. She had to press clothes, clean places, and cook, but she did it with dignity to take care of me and my siblings,” he stated.

He added, “Today, I stand in this honourable house as a member of the President’s Cabinet and the PPP/C government to defend those who work hard for an honest living.”
Minister Indar called on opposition members to show respect for their fellow Guyanese, particularly the working class, who make significant contributions to the nation’s development. He stressed that true service to the people requires genuine respect and appreciation for their efforts.
Additionally, Minister Indar addressed opposition member Sherod Duncan’s claims regarding job losses under the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration. Refuting Duncan’s assertions, Indar argued that job creation stems from economic growth and expansion—something that did not occur under the previous APNU+AFC government.

“When you are speaking about jobs in Guyana, the generation of jobs comes from economic growth and expansion. This did not happen under the APNU+AFC; the party was marred by people being fired day in and day out. They were the ones who put people out of work; their administration is marred by bullyism, repressiveness, stagnation, and the stifling of growth. Under their management, incompetence reached its peak. It’s not how much money you have; it’s how you use the little that you have,” he asserted.
Minister Indar’s remarks reinforced the government’s commitment to job creation, economic growth, and respect for all hardworking Guyanese citizens, regardless of their profession