The number is fifty thousand. That is how many jobs were promised. The reality has been vastly different. According to the Guyana Labour force Survey (GLFS) for the third (3rd) quarter of 2021, published by the Guyana Bureau of Statistics, “The youth unemployment rate for the third quarter of 2021 was recorded at 31.9%”.
These figures come as no shock to the APNU+AFC Coalition which has long called on the government to implement measures that would directly create jobs. However, in spite of clear statistical evidence proving them wrong, the installed PPP continues to claim that there was net-positive job creation under their tenure.
In a recent interview, PPP leader Bharrat Jagdeo defended their record, saying, “If you ask me, ‘are more people working today than when we came into office?’ The answer is yes… The answer is a bold yes, significantly more.”
In an invited comment Hon. Juretha Fernandes, MP, said, “The PPP continues to insult the intelligence of the Guyanese public with baseless lies that can be easily dismantled with easily accessible facts.”
General unemployment also peaked, with the Labour Force Survey further stating that , “The unemployment rate of the third quarter 2021 was 14.5 percent”. This increase in unemployment represents a net loss of thousands of jobs since the PPP assumed office.
These abysmal unemployment figures particularly stand out when compared to the 5.7% global rate of unemployment which the International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts for 2022.
More, In the Ring.
