“5000 Region Five residents now in training” – Min. Parag tells Bath residents  

Thousands of young people in Region Five are benefitting from training opportunities and scholarships, thanks to the visionary leadership of the President Ali-led government.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, disclosed this as she addressed thousands of residents who gathered in Bath, West Coast Berbice, for a grand public rally on Sunday.  

The government has invested significant resources in educational programmes like the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) and the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), as well as removed tuition fees at the University of Guyana and other technical institutions. 

“When I went into office, the records that I saw for Region Five from 2015 to 2020 were that Region Five was the lowest for the coastal regions to ever receive training or a scholarship.” 

In stark contrast, the PPP/C government has provided thousands of opportunities to the young people of Region Five. 

“I stand on this podium and I say with confidence and conviction to you, that under the Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali-led administration, this region now stands at over 5,000 Region Five residents in training,” the minister revealed. 

The PPP/C has surpassed its initial target of delivering 20,000 online scholarships to Guyanese, with almost 39,000 scholarships awarded to date. 

Since GOAL’s launch in 2021, the government invested $12.6 billion in the programme, averaging roughly $312,000 per student.

This year alone, over 2,000 students nationwide are expected to graduate with qualifications ranging from master’s and bachelor’s degrees to post-graduate and other certificates.

Minister Parag pointed out that the thousands of supporters attending the rally are a clear reflection of the unwavering confidence the people of Region Five have in the PPP/C. 

“And you have the trust and the confidence that we will walk into 2025 with you with prosperity, development and unity in this region,” she stated.