Minister Hamilton clarifies remarks at Haslington community meeting

In the wake of recent discussions and inquiries from the media concerning my statements made during the community engagement at Haslington on the East Coast of Demerara, I take this opportunity to expound upon and provide absolute clarity regarding the Government of Guyana’s position on undocumented workers in our evolving labour market.

Let there be no ambiguity: Guyana is a sovereign nation underpinned by the rule of law, and the laws governing immigration and employment are neither arbitrary nor negotiable because they are fundamental to the equitable and structured advancement of our society.

It is through the observance of these laws that we maintain fairness in employment, foster economic stability, and safeguard the rights and dignity of both workers and employers. The employment of undocumented individuals, therefore, is not simply a legal infraction as it represents a deviation from the principles of accountability, justice, and due process that form the bedrock of our national development agenda.

While I fully acknowledge the prevailing challenges that businesses encounter in recruiting a stable and proficient workforce, and while I recognise that certain sectors are experiencing acute labour shortages, it must be stated in the strongest possible terms that the circumvention of established legal processes cannot and must not be regarded as a viable solution.

To operate outside of the regulatory framework is to erode the very structures designed to uphold fairness and security in the workplace, to create an uneven competitive landscape in which compliance becomes a disadvantage, and to diminish the integrity of our labour market at a time when we must, as a nation, be strengthening it.

The rapid transformation of Guyana’s economy, particularly in high-growth sectors such as oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, and services, has catalysed an unprecedented demand for skilled labour.

This surge in opportunity, while undeniably promising, has simultaneously exposed existing gaps in our workforce—gaps which are not indicative of a lack of willingness among Guyanese to work, nor of an absence of industriousness, but rather of the reality that industrial progression necessitates parallel advancements in education and vocational training. If we are to sustain our momentum as a nation, then we must not merely acknowledge this disparity, we must actively address it, through robust, structured, and expansive human capital development initiatives.

It is precisely for this reason that since returning to office in 2020, the Government has committed itself to a comprehensive strategy aimed at empowering our workforce through education and skills development. We have expanded access to technical and vocational training, introduced the GOAL scholarship programme to provide thousands with opportunities for higher education, and removed tuition fees for government-run technical institutions and the University of Guyana. These efforts are neither symbolic nor incidental because they represent a deliberate, strategic investment in the capacity of our people to meet the evolving demands of our modern economy.

I also wish to acknowledge that my recent remarks may have been interpreted in ways that were unintended, and if they have caused unease or concern among any community, then I must take this opportunity to unequivocally apologise as it was never my intent.

Looking ahead, we will continue our data-driven approach to diagnosing workforce imbalances, identifying strategic interventions, and ensuring that our policies are grounded in empirical evidence rather than conjecture. We will approach this issue not as a debate to be won, but as a challenge to be solved together, with clarity of purpose, with unwavering adherence to the law, and with an unshakable belief in the potential of the Guyanese people.

Our Government’s priority remains the structured and lawful development of our labour force, ensuring that every citizen has access to meaningful, sustainable, and legal employment that is supported by the vison and an unrelenting commitment to the prosperity of all our people.