11 GWI staff complete training overseas

(Guyana Water Incorporated-July 14, 2016)- The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will be boosting its operations in a number of ways, following the company’s move to send critical staff overseas for skills training.

Eleven employees from GWI offices countrywide benefited from three separate training programmes held in India, Miami and Oklahoma, USA. These training programmes are aimed at equipping the company with the competency of an international standard.

In Oklahoma, five employees were trained on well development and maintenance and well drilling techniques. The training was conducted by the Fleming College of Canada. Those who attended are Region 4 Manager – Curtis Niles, Director of Operations – Dwayne Shako, Well Maintenance Engineer – Denise Woolford, Well Drilling Engineer – Rochelle Hopkinson and Region 6 Manager – Jawaharlall Ramjug.

According to Mr. Shako, Director of Operations, GWI’s pool of skilled personnel in well drilling and maintenance has depleted over the years therefore making this training important in effectively maintaining the company’s wells. He pointed out that “there are some 127 wells countrywide, and if we can’t keep these wells functioning in an efficient manner, then we won’t be able to meet our basic water supply.”

GWI is currently undertaking a project which will see approximately seven wells being drilled within the next two years. This capacity building initiative will ensure productivity and value for money.

Mr. Shako noted that the training was timely, since they were able to immediately apply what was taught to them as they begin the drilling of wells at Port Mourant, Berbice; Shelter Belt and Sophia in Georgetown and Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

Meanwhile, GWI’s Process Control and Instrumentation Engineer Duane Tobin was privileged to attend a two-month workshop in India on the selection and application of flow meters, control valves, calibration techniques, water distribution system design techniques and flow analysis and data acquisition systems among others.

GWI’s core operations which depend heavily on instrumentation and control, will benefit tremendously from Mr. Tobin’s exposure and newly gained knowledge. His training will also better equip the company to implement the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which will allow GWI to remotely monitor and control water treatment plants and pump stations across the country.

Additionally, with over 30 generators countrywide which are costly to maintain, GWI sought to build its internal capacity by sending five employees for training in installation and maintenance in Miami, Florida.

Energy Manager- Lensworth Blair, Region 4 Production Supervisor- Christopher Hodge, Assistant Region 4 Manager – Neil Thomas, Region 6 Engineer – Randolph Leitch and Region 4 Mechanic – Alston Forde benefitted from this training opportunity.

GWI believes its investment in employees will serve as a long term advantage, resulting in cost reduction for the execution of overall operations and the redirecting of savings to other areas.  The methodical selection was done in an effort to have a certified representative in each field to render assistance. The GWI staff were certified after successfully completing the various courses.