110 Lethem residents to be trained through BIT

─ five new courses launched

Some 110 residents of St. Ignatius and Lethem, Region Nine, will benefit from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) 2022 courses. These include culinary art, heavy-duty equipment operation, garment construction, building construction, welding and fabrication.

Speaking during the launch of the courses at the Town Hall, Lethem, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton noted that government will ensure persons in the hinterland regions benefit equally from all opportunities and services available on the coast.

Further, with more persons being trained, leaders will no longer have to depend on contractors, welders and electrical technicians to commence infrastructural developments in the regions.

Also, trainees will be engaging in practical work in their villages, which will add to the development of the region as a whole.

“When you discuss expanding and developing your region and building more roads and building housing development…you, that will do heavy duty operator programme, that is your purpose… so that we can bring to an end contractor coming into your region…so that we can bring to an end this conversion that the skillset does not reside in Region Nine,” the minister noted.

BIT’s training programmes provide equal opportunity for all Guyanese, as such the minister is encouraging women to be trained in non-traditional areas such as heavy-duty equipment operating and other male-dominated technical fields.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman, Brian Allicock, while addressing the gathering said BIT’s training courses will allow persons to gain all the necessary skills to provide services in their region.

“You can become marketable, you can sell your services because you will learn a trade and that would take you through your life, and of course, you will develop as you go along,” the chairman said.

He added that these programmes are another way of engaging citizens, especially the younger population. He is encouraging them to work hard until the completion of the programme.