Georgetown: The Private Sector Commission (PSC) in collaboration with public corporations on Wednesday hosted a job fair at Patentia, West Bank of Demerara targeting retrenched sugar workers.
The fair sought to link potential employers and the retrenched workers primarily from the closed Wales Estate.
Region Three Chamber of Commerce President Halim Khan said the event was a resounding success as 23 large and medium sized companies offered over 800 jobs to the some 1500 participants.
Most of the attendees are unemployed as a result of retrenchment from the Wales Estate.
Some of them were employed for 25-30 years at the estate.
“This job fair will alleviate some despair but I would like to urge the businesses of Region Three to be more proactive in helping and our Government to quickly device a plan to create lucrative industries to gainfully employ people who are capable and willing to work.”
The PSC in a press statement reiterated that it had advocated for the estates to remain operational, while being transferred to private hands, instead of closure.
“It is our desire to continue working with the Special Purpose Unit to facilitate the privatisation and ensuring rehiring of staff. Given the closure, we are now advocating for a speedy privatisation so that the unemployed can be absorbed quickly.”
The PSC also called on private sector companies to continue working hard to bring some semblance of economic viability to the affected areas across Guyana.
The PSC also called on Government to work with the private sector to boost investors’ confidence and expand investments.
Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Edward Boyer described the fair as the first of many to come.
“This event is to get people back to work and we will not end here. We are starting here. If it’s 1200 people here today and 800 jobs, trust me, we will be back. This is an ongoing initiative and we will keep it at all the estates. It will not only be specific to the estates,” Boyer noted.
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