Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, outlined significant progress in job creation, labour protection and institutional strengthening, positioning Budget 2026 as a continuation of reforms aimed at improving the lives of working Guyanese.
Addressing the National Assembly on Wednesday, Minister Griffith said between 2020 and 2025, the government created more than 104,000 sustainable jobs, surpassing its manifesto commitment and contributing to a sharp decline in unemployment.
He reported that overall unemployment fell from 12.8 per cent to 6.8 per cent, while youth unemployment dropped from 30.2 per cent to 12.1 per cent, resulting in a 50 per cent overall decline.
The minister also detailed the restoration and expansion of the Ministry of Labour, noting that it was upgraded from a department to a full-scale ministry dedicated to promoting decent work and protecting labour rights.
He also highlighted strengthened enforcement capacity, including the expansion of health and safety officers from nine positions in 2015 to more than 32 officers to date.
Minister Griffith further pointed to modern labour market interventions such as the National Job Bank, which registered 11,387 job seekers, solicited over 2,157 vacancies, and successfully placed 647 persons in employment, many of them young people.
Emphasising the philosophy guiding the ministry’s work, he told the National Assembly, “This is what putting people first is all about…beyond rhetoric and beyond empty promises, our achievements are measurable and grounded in concrete policies.”
Minister Griffith noted that Budget 2026 will also advance manpower planning through the establishment of a national manpower agency and new training initiatives, reinforcing the government’s commitment to decent work, stronger labour protections and sustainable development.