– Nadir urges attention to improving academic ability
More than 50% of employees within the private sector are in their respective jobs for less than four years and the sector has been urged to make a concerted effort to upgrade the academic ability of their workers.
Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir, while addressing members of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) at that body’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Duke Lodge in Kingston yesterday, stated that a recent survey conducted by the Labour Ministry, found that some 57% of the national workforce has been on the job between 1 and 4 years.
He said that the ‘2009 Wages and Hours of Work’ survey, in which 2,246 persons participated and which covered all categories of employment, found that 20% of the workforce is stable, as the figures indicate that 10% of the workforce has spent 10-14 years of service in private sector jobs, while 10% has spent more than 15 years on the job.
According to Nadir, the survey found that the field of accountancy attracted the largest number of employees in private sector entities, while interestingly, a significant number of persons preferred to work in the heavy-duty machinery working environment on the basis of receiving high paid salaries.
According to the Labour Minister, the survey found that 50% of the workforce in the local working environment has completed only primary and secondary education. “The reality is that the issue has to be addressed in order to have a more competitive economy,” Nadir said, noting that Guyana was rated recently at 97 on an index of 198 in terms of having competitive economies.
Appealing to all concerned to ensure students successfully achieve quality education, he said that it may not be the business which may be “of poor quality,” but rather a commensurate under-qualified workforce. He said that businesses should work towards making technology a catalyst in developing their full potential and according to him, employers should take into account flexible working hours for employees. On this note he stated that in any modern economy the latter is inevitable.
Meanwhile, Nadir sought to briefly explain the recent proposed lowering of the legal working age after it was raised by outgoing president of the GCCI, Chandradat Chintamani. While delivering the GCCI Annual Report for 2009, Chintamani encouraged businesses within the sector, “not to get into that circle,” but rather to work towards eliminating child labour. According to him, “a child should be in school”.
Nadir said that in Guyana, evidence has shown that “we do not have a serious problem with child labour. We may have the potential for it due to truancy”. According to him, persons have been using the terms child labour and child work almost synonymously.
He said that there are different forms of child labour, including the grey area of parents who keep their children at home to work in the family business, preventing them access to an education. According to Nadir, in 1994, in line with Article 182 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention, the Government of Guyana raised the age at which persons could seek legal employment to 15, since Article 182 states that children should be allowed to work at the age at which they leave school, and the authorities worked towards equating the two.
According to Nadir, Article 182 also allows for countries to allow persons between the ages of 12-14 to work under specific conditions, and he listed the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada among the countries where this occurs. He said he will be addressing the issue of child labour, child work, and prevention of child labour as well as lowering of the age of employment in the coming weeks.
The issue has been engaging the general public as well as the main political parties and labour organizations.
Meanwhile, Chintamani in delivering the GCCI 2009 report stated that last year was a “good year for the chamber”, since according to him the body made a surplus of some $4.7 million through inputs from its members. He said the GCCI currently stands on a healthy cash position and according to him; the GCCI has made plans to invest in the areas of genuine value-added services for the business community.
Among the highlights for the GCCI in 2009 was a United States embassy–sponsored marketing seminar which was held in Linden and Georgetown.
In Linden 10 small business owners and entrepreneurs participated in the exercise where they garnered the skills and marketing knowledge necessary to expand their businesses and increase their profits.
The shorter concise seminar in Georgetown was also well attended.
Chintamani also made reference to the GCCI’s Revised Code of Conduct which he said could not be completed last year. However, he encouraged members of the GCCI to ensure that the document is completed and used as a blueprint and foundation on which businesses operate.
