AS Guyana’s economy continues to grow, the government remains committed to uplifting families by integrating 100,000 women into the workforce. This initiative will not only create thriving futures for thousands of households but also boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and increase household spending power.

Statistics this year indicated that over 15,283 part-time workers are employed under its National Pathway Workers Project, which was implemented by the Office of the Vice President in 2022. This also complements the government’s impressive achievement of restoring and creating in excess of 60,000 jobs since entering office in 2020.

This included the creation of part-time jobs which served as an impetus for community growth, where many persons started small businesses, and invested in agriculture, among other things.

From 2015-2020, thousands of Guyanese were placed on the breadline under the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary and Guyana’s Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday last, during a news conference, told reporters about the government’s plan to boost local employment and manage the labour shortage.

“We want to get more women in the labour force. And so, we started with a part-time job, but we believe we can bring nearly 100,000 of our own people, our women, into the workforce. Because then we have more Guyanese working.”

He added, “We want our people to work. We want more people to have more jobs, not because things are bad, but because they can move faster up in life. That is what we’re doing. So first of all, taking care of our own people.”

Additionally, the billions of dollars invested under the current administration to fund initiatives like expanding educational and skill-building programmes, and increasing women’s workforce participation have positively impacted the lives of thousands of women.

Entrepreneurial and skills training have been provided to over 23,700 women since August 2020 through the Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) and Board of Industrial Training (BIT). Of this total, over 5,900 women were trained in 2024, and this year, the government is aiming for another 11,200 women.

Additionally, over 21,400 women were awarded Guyana Online Learning Academy (GOAL) Scholarships. This represents 72 per cent of total awardees since the commencement of this programme in 2021. Of this total, over 6,000 women were awarded a scholarship in 2024, and a further 6,750 are expected to be awarded in 2025.

Within five years of the PPP/C’s governance, the public sector workers are earning $105 billion more per year in wages and salaries. This year, public servants enjoyed an additional eight per cent salary increase.

There has also been the strengthening of collective bargaining, including multi-year agreements signed with the government and, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), the Guyana Teachers’ Union, and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

Significant tax relief measures have been implemented, including a $50,000 monthly tax-free allowance on overtime; an additional $50,000 exemption for income earned from a second job; tax thresholds were raised, with allowances for dependents, and restoration of the Joint Services’ one-month tax-free bonus, at a cost of nearly $2 billion.