Georgetown, Guyana – (August 26, 2024)
Seventy-six persons, spanning a number of disciplines, were hired on the spot at the recently concluded job fair, which was held at the Everest Cricket Club by Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI) in collaboration with its parent company, Muneshwers Limited and its Joint Venture partners.These immediate hires are part of a broader effort to fill over 200 vacancies across various operational roles, with additional hiring expected in the coming days.
The on-the-spot hires, selected from among 1,765 applicants, included positions such as Hauler drivers, Crane Operators, Civil Engineers, Site Supervisors, Security Supervisors, Auto Electrician, Network Technicians, Forklift Operators, Welder, Mechanics, Construction Equipment Operator, Banksmen, Operations Assistants, Craftsmen, General labourers and porters. These persons will sign their respective contracts before the end of the week.
Among those hired on the spot was Narine Dharshand, a resident from the West Bank of Demerara, who will fill the vacancy of Security Supervisor at Muneshwers Limited. “I am excited, this is my dream job. I have always wanted to get into the oil and gas sector,” he shared.
Twenty-year-old Devon Gardener was offered the role of an Operations Assistant at GYSBI. He noted that while it was intimidating to be surrounded by so many persons at the job fair, he was elated that the position was offered to him.
Rod Carew, a 36-year-old will be taking up a role in the area of General Maintenance, He praised the interview process and committed to putting his best foot forward in his new role. He said, “This is the best job fair I have been to because of how it was organised. It was smooth and very calm, I got through very quickly. From the advertisement and the event, I can see that the company has high standards, and I want to be part of it. I am so happy that I was hired today. I am going to be as diligent and disciplined as I could be and perform as best as I can.”
Deoraj Bijnauth, an Electrician with over seven years of experience indicated that he has always been unsuccessful at previous job fairs but was happy that he will be soon taking up a role in one of the companies.
“They saw something in me… I am happy that they saw something in me. The process was quite smooth…and I am excited to start. I went to a few other job fairs, and I wasn’t successful, so I am happy it was a success this time,” he shared.
Robin Muneshwer, Executive Director of GYSBI and Muneshwers Limited, in brief remarks, noted that the companies rarely hire on the spot since they prefer to thoroughly carry out checks before this is done. However, Muneshwer said that the number of exceptional candidates who showed up to the Fair prompted Management to make some immediate offers.
“We [prefer to process] them very carefully and ensure they check out first but…we had some exceptional candidates. It shows that there is a tremendous interest in our companies and what we do and there are many Guyanese are out there looking for jobs. We are big supporters of local content, and we continue to push this drive of training and mentoring local persons,” the Executive Director stated.
Lilowtie Chintamani, Human Resource Manager at GYSBI, said this is the largest ever job fair that has been hosted by the company to date. However, she noted that these events provide the platform for talented and qualified individuals to be reached and hired.
“I am really impressed with the amount of persons who came out here today. The first person came at around 5.25am. It has become a difficult task these days to hire persons, and this is what we need in Guyana; job fairs, because we found the numbers came out here. Its so refreshing to see and they came from all walks of life. I am truly happy with the response we have gotten,” Chintamani expressed.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, who visited the fair and addressed participants, noted the Government of Guyana has been actively working to create opportunities to ensure that every single Guyanese citizen of working age has opportunities to acquire marketable skills and acquire suitable jobs. GYSBI and Muneshwers Limited, he said, are playing a role in helping to achieve this.
“That is the Guyana that Muneshwers/GYSBI story fits squarely within. GYSBI, of whom the senior partner is Muneshwers, constitutes a partnership between GYSBI and international partners doing world class work, competing with world class companies, and doing world class work for ExxonMobil and the oil and gas industry, and demonstrating that local content is very real and very achievable by Guyanese companies that demonstrate a commitment to and a capacity for excellence,” the Minister said.
He continued, “We must really applaud because you provided a remarkable example for Guyanese companies and an example that is most worthy of emulation and an example that was instructed…Guyanese nationals, like the people who are gathered here today, we want them to be able to participate fully and meaningfully and rewarding in the oil and gas sector as it grows and expands in our country. GYSBI story fits within our agenda for creating opportunities for Guyanese companies.”