Nearly 5000 Amerindians employed under PPP/C after the previous APNU+AFC Government fired 2000 – VP Jagdeo

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has drawn a stark contrast between the APNU/AFC’s record on Amerindian employment and the achievements of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government since returning to office in 2020.

Speaking at a PPP/C rally in Bartica, Jagdeo reminded residents that one of the coalition’s first acts in 2015 was to dismantle the Amerindian Community Service Officers (CSO) programme, leaving some 2,000 Amerindians without jobs.

“They said they would increase jobs and find work for young people,” Dr Jagdeo told the gathering.

“Instead, their jobs disappeared. In Parliament, one minister even said Amerindians are too greedy – that if they get more land, they shouldn’t benefit from other programmes. As soon as they got into office, 2,000 Amerindians lost their jobs,” Dr Jagdeo said.

He contrasted this with the PPP/C’s record since 2020.

Upon returning to government, the administration immediately reinstated the CSO programme and re-employed the dismissed workers.

By 2021, over 2,000 Amerindian youths were back on the job, with expanded training in solar installation, tractor operation, information and communications technology (ICT), garment construction, and other skills.

By 2022, the programme had grown to 2,500 CSOs, with over 660 receiving specialised skills training.

As of late 2024, approximately 2,759 Amerindian youths are employed as CSOs nationwide, each earning a monthly stipend that has increased from $30,000 to $40,000.

The CSO programme is part of a broader investment in Amerindian development, which has reached $13.1 billion since 2020.

This funding has supported infrastructure upgrades, agricultural projects, healthcare, education, and cultural preservation. Budget 2025 alone allocates $7.2 billion to Amerindian programmes, including $5 billion for entrepreneurship and community development, $650 million for land titling, and $127 million for secondary education scholarships.

“In total, we now have nearly 5,000 Amerindians working for the Government of Guyana under these programmes,” Jagdeo said.

He stated, “That’s the difference between the PPP/C and the opposition – we promised to bring back these jobs, and we did.“

With the General and Regional Elections set for September 1, Jagdeo urged residents to remember the coalition’s past record when deciding the future.

“Our future of our country is in your hands, your children’s future, you have to vote for a party that you can trust,” Dr Jagdeo told the audience.