Soesdyke/Linden Highway residents grateful for part-time jobs

The government’s National Pathway Workers initiative is making strides with residents along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway by helping them to provide for themselves while aiding in the development of the country.

During a recent visit to the highway, the Department of Public Information (DPI) spoke to a few residents of Adventure who shared their experiences as part-time workers.

Shameer Boodram said the work has not only been helping him financially but has resulted in him giving back to the community.

“Well, the part-time job has been helping me a great lot because I never used to work. All I used to do was help to look after my parents at home who are both pensioners. These days things are really hard and so I must say thanks to the government for the part-time job. I am making good use of it,” Boodram expressed.

The young man said he finds pride in ensuring that various parts of his community are always kept clean. He also assists the pensioners in the village whenever the need arises.

Boodram lives with his father and visibly impaired mother whom he has also been supporting.

Meanwhile, Johnella Sealey who works at Silver-Hill Health Centre said that she has been learning a lot from her place of employment.

“I learned a lot from where I am employed. Some of the things that I never knew before, I know now as it pertains to babies, children, and the elderly. The part-time job is also benefitting me in a way where I can allow and provide for my children to go to school,” the woman stated.

Additionally, Ivan Boodram noted the many developments that have been occurring along the highway. He said that he was eager to be someone contributing to that transformation, especially in his village.

“Well, the part-time job is so good because we’re improving our village by cleaning it. We usually help to clean the corners of the highway, and the ballfield. The money is good and so when we get it, we have to carefully think how we’ll utilise it because we worked so hard for it,” the man opined.

This initiative was implemented by the Office of the Vice President in 2022 and also falls under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. It has been giving unemployed Guyanese the opportunity to work for 10 days a month and earn a salary of $40,000.

This year, to further advance the programme, the ministry has been allocated a total of $10 billion.