The Executive Committee of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) yesterday (January 28, 2022) had a lively and interactive engagement with Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn on foreigners displacing Guyanese workers. Since the Union established its Oil and Gas Branch in June 2021, workers from the sector have continued to regularly visit and interact with the Union.
The Union shared with Minister Benn a prominent concern shared by workers in the sector has been the presence of foreigners to the detriment of Guyanese. We indicated to the Minister that workers have informed our Union that in many instances they were locals who though capable of undertaking certain jobs were unable to grasp such opportunities as foreigners were apparently given preference. GAWU told the Minister too that some workers had informed our Union that they were required to demonstrate to their foreign superiors how they should undertake their tasks. In the sector, we communicated, such occurrences were fostering some level of acrimony between locals and foreigners.
We also indicated to the Home Affairs Minister that we have recently learnt that some firms were recruiting foreigners to unskilled and semi-skilled jobs which can competently be performed by locals. GAWU told Minister Benn that workers had informed us that it appeared that some foreigners had not possessed relevant documents and were seemingly not fearful of being caught for improperly working in Guyana.
Minister Benn thanked the GAWU for its forthrightness on the issue. He shared that his Ministry has also heard of similar issues and where complaints are lodged they are able to pursue investigations to address such matters. The Minister informed our Executive Committee when he took over the Ministry there was a need to expand the immigration infrastructure to address the volume of requests for work permits and other matters. This he said was being done though more is required. He indicated too that there was a need to upskill our labour force given the demands of the economy. The Minister shared that given the rapid expansion of the country in the coming years there may be a need to develop a programme of skilled immigration as Guyanese would be fully employed. He urged the GAWU whenever it receives information to communicate same to his Ministry in order for such situations to be addressed. He recognised the need to work together to ensure that Guyanese are protected but to ensure that our enterprises have adequate and sufficient skills to realize their objectives. On this score, he urged the GAWU to utilize its resources to assist in these efforts and to work with fraternal organisations to play an active role.
The GAWU thanked the Minister for his acceptance of our invitation. We believed that the interaction was fruitful and timely and allowed several important matters to be communicated. In the coming times, the Union will continue to reach out to workers and where necessary inform the Ministry and Minister of information which comes to our hands. GAWU will also seek to play its role in upskilling our Guyanese labour and will in the coming weeks seek to consider steps it can take in this regard
