Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma Griffith has described Budget 2026 as a roadmap to development, even as he boasted of progress being made in his Ministry as it relates to training, skills development and job creation.

Speaking during the 2026 budget debates today in his maiden presentation to the National Assembly, Mr. Griffith said the Budget is a continuation and expansion of Government’s agenda from its previous five years in office.

“Mr. Speaker, Budget 2026 is rooted in progress made in the last five years when this government was in power. During the most recent tenure of this government, we inherited what was not progress but heavy burden to repair. Mr. Speaker we were confronted with the unenviable task of rebuilding that has been carelessly dismantled, restoring systems that had been weakened and reclaiming the dignity of working people that had been sidelined under the APNU+AFC administration,” Griffith said. 

He said in the PPP’s first term, it did not merely promise change, but delivered real change to the people of Guyana.

He criticized the former APNU+AFC administration for not having a dedicated Ministry of Labour, saying it was the first sign that no importance was placed on worker’s rights. Under the APNU+AFC Government, the Labour Department fell under the Ministry of Social Protection.

He said the PPP Government rebuilt and re-established a full-scale Ministry of Labour that is dedicated to decent work and promotion of labour rights in Guyana.

“Mr. Speaker, beyond the Opposition’s rhetoric and beyond their empty promises, our achievements are measurable and grounded in concrete policies like our decent work country programme that balances economic growth with job creation and labour rights,” Griffith stated.

Griffith noted that a number of labour reforms have been undertaken by the Ministry, which saw it increase training and expand its up-skilling programmes.

The Board of Industrial Training alone trained more than 16,000 Guyanese, according to the Minister.

“Mr. Speaker, these outcomes are not accidental, they are a direct commitment to this government’s active labour market policies, skills training and opportunities that respond to the needs of employers and employees.

Another significant achievement Griffith said is the training of over 600 women in traditionally male dominated occupations including welding and heavy-duty equipment operation. 

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