National Manpower Agency to be established – Min Griffith

The Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning has announced that a National Manpower Agency will be established this year.

This institutionalisation was announced by Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, on Wednesday during the ministry’s consideration of estimates session at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

This manpower agency, the minister explained, is intended to address the needs of the labour market.

“Budget 2026 will see the establishment of a manpower, a national manpower agency that will seek to look at all of the needs and an assessment of the labour market, in an effort to meet all of the manpower needs of the labour force in Guyana,” Minister Griffith said. 

While answering questions in the Committee of Supply, Minister Griffith emphasised that his ministry will act thoughtfully in serving the public. He mentioned that the ministry will rely on research to develop a data-driven labour policy.

“There will be a gap analysis conducted to see what the loopholes are and the needs,” he explained. 

This skills gap analysis, the labour minister pointed out, along with the new agency, is set to be established this year. 

“It is going to be a public document, so it will be made available. And it is going to commence within the period of 2026.”

After the September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections, the former Ministry of Labour was renamed the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning – a testament to the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s vision of expanding the workforce of the country with forward-driven solutions. 

“This is exactly why the element of manpower planning has been created and added to the Ministry of Labour, specifically by His Excellency, so that with all of the transformation that Guyana is seeing, that we can properly place our people to be a part of the transformation,” Minister Griffith reiterated. 

Following the consideration of estimates, a total of $1.7 billion was approved to further the work of the labour and manpower planning ministry.