Pres. Ali urges work culture change amid 35% labour turnout in govt projects last month

With Guyana already facing labour shortages, President Dr Irfaan Ali has cited the need for a change in the local work culture in order to prevent delays or stagnation in the unprecedented development that the nation is currently undergoing.

The Head of State made this call after revealing a significantly low workers turnout at various project sites last month.

“We did an assessment among the government projects, and the average turnout rate in December was below 35 per cent of labour on various project sites. Now, that’s a culture we have to avoid. We can’t build a country that is resilient and sustainable with that work culture and that work ethic when you have 35 per cent labour turnout on major projects like these…”

“So, as we continue to build, it’s important that we address these challenges. And we don’t develop a work culture or a work habit that is going to be detrimental to our development at the national and individual level in the long term. So, this is something that I think we ought to address and address very efficiently,” he stated.

For some time now, there has been concerns about the shortage of skilled labour in Guyana.

In fact, with the country experiencing a construction boom, contractors have been complaining bitterly about finding workers including truck drivers as well as construction workers.

According to President Ali, a flexible labour model is required to address this reality and the challenges being encountered across the country – both in the public and private sectors.

“We had a number of meetings in the last couple of days with the private sector, and they too have expressed major concerns in terms of, one, availability of labour; secondly, the productivity; [and] of course, increasing costs of labour. But importantly also is the work ethic. And we have to [and] we must do better. We must do better if we are to build for the long term.”

“And that is why we are adopting a very flexible labour model within the context of our laws. So, that we would not have too much of delays or stagnation in the development and expansion of government infrastructure, private sector infrastructure, and investment,” the Guyanese Leader stated.

President Ali made these remarks on Tuesday during the inspection of the new Buzz Bee Dam to Land of Canaan Road project, which will see an alternative four-lane highway being built along at the East Bank Demerara corridor.

Works on the project, which consists of eight lots, has commenced on all sections, with the most progress recorded on Lot 7 – more than halfway advanced.

“We have eight lots; work has commenced on all eight lots… For Lot 1, we are about 33 per cent complete. The most advanced lot is Lot 7, which is 57 per cent complete. [At the construction site], you can see the roundabout taking shape, and drains [that] were all clogged canals, now replaced with massive concrete structures on both sides, visible along the interconnecting road and the highway,” he noted.

The new four-lane highway, which connects to the new Mandela to Diamond highway (Heroes Highway), includes multiple interconnections between Buzz Bee Dam to Land Canaan, creating a direct link to the existing EBD corridor.

During Tuesday’s visit, the Head of State emphasised the scale of the work, pointing out the extensive drainage structures being installed on both sides of the highway, transforming what was previously swampland. He described the technical efforts involved, including the excavation of swampy areas, installation of vertical drains, and sand compaction, underscoring the magnitude of work required to bring the project to its current stage.

These highways were completely designed and supervised by local engineers, including staff from the Housing Ministry and trained clerks of works.

The Guyanese Leader pointed out key safety features of the highway, including medians, emergency lanes, and pull-off areas. He also spoke about the engineering solutions employed to mitigate weather-related delays, explaining that much of the excavation and construction work was completed during the dry season to avoid disruptions caused by heavy rain or strong winds.

“Between here and the developments ahead, you will see massive structures – 28 in total – designed to ensure the drainage system remains intact and fully functional,” he said.

Moreover, he went onto highlight the integration of critical infrastructure, including transmission lines running along the highway and extensive drainage systems designed to serve both backlands and residential communities.

Further, land acquisitions had initially posed another challenge but after one year, these have been resolved thus allowing the project to now move into full implementation.

This Buzz Bee Dam to Land of Canaan road project along with the continuation of the Ogle to Eccles Highway which will run all the way to Timehri, and the ongoing expansion of the existing EBD public road into four lanes will enhance travel along the thoroughfare that leads to the country’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), and to the hinterland regions.