BETWEEN 2015 and 2020, approximately 35,000 jobs were lost across Guyana as a direct result of the actions of the former APNU+AFC government, but since assuming office in 2020, the PPP/C government has moved to not only restore those jobs but also create new opportunities for the citizenry.
Speaking at the Gas-to-Energy job fair held at the Leonora Track and Field Stadium in Region Three on Thursday last, Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, described the achievement as historic. The minister explained that the event was more than a traditional job fair, noting that it represented a tangible expression of the government’s vision for a modern, prosperous, and sustainable future for all Guyanese.
He emphasised that the Gas-to-Energy project is central to this vision and represents a transformative initiative that will significantly reshape Guyana’s economic landscape by providing low-cost electricity to support national development. The project, he noted, also marks an important step toward ensuring that Guyanese, particularly young people, are equipped with the skills, opportunities, and clear pathways needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.
“Our government made a clear promise to modernise infrastructure, enhance technical and vocational education, and ensure that no region is left behind in Guyana’s transformative economy,” the minister said. “What we are witnessing here in Region Three is that promise in action.”
The Labour Minister stated that Region Three is no longer merely a transit zone but has emerged as a strategic industrial and energy corridor. With the Gas to Energy project underway, the region is now positioned at the centre of national energy security, industrial expansion, manufacturing growth, and logistics and infrastructure development. He added that the job fair was intentionally planned to align people, skills, and projects, noting that more than one thousand persons are expected to be employed throughout the life cycle of the Gas-to-Energy project.
“Hundreds of workers are required immediately, with more opportunities becoming available as the project advances,” he said. “The skills needed are specific and practical, ranging from labourers and masons to carpenters and instrumentation technicians.”
He stressed that these are skilled and sustainable jobs that Guyanese are capable of filling, adding that the government has been preparing Region Three for this moment through consistent leadership and planning. The minister further noted that through institutions such as the Board of Industrial Training, more than 1,700 residents of Region Three have received technical and vocational training between 2020 and 2025. This represents an investment of millions of dollars in the region.
The training programmes included electrical installation, welding and fabrication, heavy-duty equipment operation, masonry, carpentry, plumbing, information technology, and mechanical trades.
According to the minister, this approach reflects deliberate workforce planning rather than coincidence. He explained that the job fair exemplifies a new development model in which the government sets policy direction, the private sector leads execution, workers gain skills and employment, regions advance, and citizens experience tangible transformation. He reaffirmed the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning’s commitment to building a skilled, competitive, and future-ready workforce capable of meeting the demands of the Gas to Energy sector.
Encouraging young people in the region to prepare for the expanding opportunities within Guyana’s evolving economy, the minister urged employers, training institutions, and job seekers to engage, collaborate, and take advantage of the opportunities available.
“Let us work together with renewed determination to convert our national energy ambitions into meaningful job creation and position Guyana as a global leader in the energy sector,” he said. “This government will continue to expand access to technical and vocational training because skills remain the foundation of industrial development. Region Three is ready to work, ready to build, and ready to help shape Guyana’s future. This job fair clearly demonstrates that Guyana’s development is people-centred, regionally balanced, and focused on the future.