Jagdeo says unaware of Govt. forcing part-time workers to attend political meetings
Apr 20, 2025
Kaieteur News- Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday that he is unaware of part-time workers being forced to attend political meetings. The Vice President was asked to respond to allegations that part-time reporters are being threatened when they refuse to attend the political meetings.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Allegations first surfaced during visits to Region Six by businessman and philanthropist, Azruddin Mohamed. Mohamed was met with a hostile picket by supporters of the ruling Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) late last month when he visited the No. 43 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.
Attempts were made to block the businessman from entering the community, but he was shielded by residents and escorted in. It was those residents who complained to the businessman that the part-time workers are being forced to join hostile pickets and attend political meetings or be fired.
On Thursday, Kaieteur News asked Jagdeo who is also General Secretary of the PPP/C about the situation to which he said, “… I don’t know of anybody being forced to come to any meeting or alternately who will be fired because of a political purpose” before adding, “But a lot of people in this country when they don’t perform, they claim political discrimination.”
According to Jagdeo, there are some part-time workers who do not work but show up to be paid. He noted that there are some 15,000 part-time workers in the country and its hard for the government to monitor all of them “…Because they are monitored by the NDCs and local government bodies across the country.”
Further, the Vice President said that there are some part-time workers who were wrongfully dismissed, but not for political reasons.
He claimed that there was a pregnant woman who could not show up for work because of her condition, and the agency she was working with was going to terminate her, but he intervened.
“I send a message to the region that they shouldn’t do that,” the Vice-President said while adding, “Sometimes you have people removing people callously. Sometimes you have to have a heart and listen to people,” Jagdeo said.
Jagdeo also pointed out that the part-time workers have been of great help to the country.
“We have great support from the part-time workers in many state agencies. They have helped out in schools, in hospitals and different agencies at the NDC level,” Jagdeo said.
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