Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, the youngest member of President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s Cabinet, returned to his home community of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, on Saturday, in a walkabout aimed at bringing the programmes and services of the ministry directly to the people.
Griffith, who has years of experience at the Bar before taking up public office, explained that the activity was part of the government’s wider strategy to ensure that development in Guyana is not limited to infrastructure but extends meaningfully to human capacity building.

“It’s important for the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning to tell the people how they can be empowered, because that is the goal of the ministry—to drive this labour force to show the kind of development that we’re seeing in Guyana,” Griffith said.
“We don’t only want to see development in infrastructure, but over the next five years, as you will know, the President has said that direct deposits will be made in the people, and those deposits will be knowledge and empowerment…”
He stressed that the ministry is “bringing the power to the people,” not only by informing them about available services but also by listening to their challenges.
“We’re telling them about the facilities that we offer at the Ministry of Labour, as well as hearing from them their concerns—whether related to labour or generally how we could improve their living,” he said.
One of the main issues raised in the East Ruimveldt community, according to Griffith, is unemployment. To address this, he was accompanied by the heads of the Board of Industrial Training, the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency, the Labour Department, and the Occupational Health and Safety Department.

“Basically, we are bringing to the people how they can get involved in the work,” he explained. “So how we’re trying to meet the concern about unemployment is telling them how we can empower them—the training that they can get, the opportunities to start their own businesses, and all of that.”
Minister Griffith said that such initiatives are geared towards equipping residents with the skills and opportunities needed to participate fully in Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy.
When asked about follow-up, the Minister was clear that this was not a one-off exercise.
“My team is expected to provide reports. All of my heads of department are expected to provide reports on Monday. But not just that—this is going to be a continuous process,” Griffith said.
Highlighting his personal ties to the community, he added: “I intend to be on the ground in the East Ruimveldt community. As you know, this is where I have lived for a very long time. I can’t even express the kind of gratitude that I’m seeing from the people who have known me from the time I was a child. They’re coming, hugging me, shaking my hand, telling me how proud they are of me, and I’m extremely happy to be in this position to serve them and try to make some impact.”

Griffith emphasised that while politics inevitably plays a role, his commitment is first and foremost to community development. “Of course, politics aside, I want to make some input.
Minister Griffith also noted that East Ruimveldt had suffered neglect under the previous A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration, but that the Ali government has since invested heavily in the area.
“East Ruimveldt has really been neglected by the last administration for a very long time,” he said. “There has been a lot of work that has been inputted under the People’s Progressive Party, under the Ali administration. In fact, the numbers will show there were significant increases in the number of votes. That reflects the kind of work that has been put in this community, like many other communities—which is why, of course, we now have a majority in the Parliament.”
As residents warmly greeted him throughout the walkabout, Griffith said he felt both humbled and energised to serve. “I’m very happy to be in this position to help the people,” he concluded, before continuing his interaction with community members.
Residents welcomed Griffith’s visit, expressing appreciation for his engagement while raising concerns about local issues such as infrastructure, public services, and community development.