Guyana is on the cusp of great wealth development, celebrating its historic oil discovery of approximately half a billion barrels, but as this new industry takes shape, Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, expressed interest in seeing diaspora oil and gas professionals return home to fill job openings, while making contributions to their country’s growth.
Jordan, during an interview with this publication in Georgetown, recently, said expatriates were welcome to return to their homeland, and apply for these positions without any restrictions.
“I tell Guyanese to take a page out of the Jamaicans book, you don’t have to give any reason to come to a place where you were born, it does not matter where you live, this is your home,” emphasized Jordan, adding, that the country’s oil industry should be a special lure to come home.
The politician felt it was important to join his fellow ministers of the Coalition government in a walkabout at Stabroek Market Square, in the capital, particularly during the festive season, to interact and to see the smiles on the faces of people who are excited about the new oil and gas industry that has come to their homeland.
He described Guyana as being rich in resources, with the addition of petroleum, that will be present for over 40 years, and according to Minister Jordan, the transformation of Guyana’s economy beckons with the potential wealth, which the new petroleum state will start to earn from this year, wealth which he said will benefit from “the cradle to the elderly.”
“Come home, we need help of every kind, and it is a plus that you can help with this magnificent fortune we have acquired. I am looking to recruit qualified statisticians also,” said Jordan who called on some Guyanese to stop criticizing Guyana, and instead help the country that has lost 80 percent of its graduates to migration.
He said if Guyana tries to fill these vacancies, rapid training of citizens at home would have to take place, or the government would seek neighboring professionals in the field of oil and gas, to fill those gaps, but he reiterated, expatriates would be the first choice.
Jordan spoke of the exciting Green State Development Strategy, Vision 2040, diversified, resilient, low-carbon and people-centered — Guyana’s 20-year national development policy that reflects the guiding vision and principles of the ‘green agenda.’
This is an inclusive and prosperous Guyana that provides a good quality of life for all its citizens based on sound education and social protection, low-carbon and resilient development, providing new economic opportunities, justice and political empowerment.
Jordan said more money would be spent to modernize schools and improve information technology, so children, the future leaders, could compete regionally and internationally.
