Domestic violence is a scar on national life -First Lady said at opening of second Self-Reliance and Success in Business Workshop in Region Three

Georgetown, Guyana -(June 18, 2018) First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger, this morning, opened the second Self-Reliance and Success in Business Workshop for residents of the Essequibo Islands- West Demerara Region (Region Three), where she informed that there will be national dialogue centred on Domestic Violence in Guyana. This event which is slated for August 3, 2018 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, will see the participation of persons from across the 10 Regions.

“This [domestic violence] is a scar on our national life… I have been in discussions with some people about how we really go about addressing domestic violence in Guyana…We also have to deal with the issue of under-reporting or non-reporting of issues of domestic violence in our hinterland and our rural areas…We are planning to have a national dialogue…I think we have to face up to it and make it clear that we cannot tolerate this any longer,” she said.

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger delivering her opening remarks at the second Self-Reliance and Success in Business Workshop held in Region Three.

Director at Interweave Solutions (Guyana) Incorporated, Mr. Sanjay Yohann Pooran giving an overview of the workshop.

Participants in the Self Reliance workshop holding placards of the Six ‘Ps’ of Business.

Turning to the participants of the workshop, Mrs. Granger urged the participants to see the many opportunities a workshop like this can bring, in terms of small and micro-enterprise development and reminded them that the certificates that they will be receiving at the end of the programme is recognised by the Small Business Bureau and other micro-financing organisations. “I saw the benefits [of this programme] not only to the persons who would have participated, but to their families and their communities as well. It is what I would call a holistic approach to success,” she said.

Regional Executive Officer of Region Three, Mr. Denis Jaikaran, in his remarks, said that the first Self-Reliance and Success in Business Workshop led to the establishment the Region’s first salted fish factory. He expressed his appreciation to the First Lady for taking the workshop to the Region for a second time and pledged to assist the participants in rolling out future projects.

Meanwhile, Director of Interweave Solutions (Guyana) Incorporated, Mr. Sanjay Yohann Pooran who facilitated the workshop, provided the participants with an overview of the programme; indicating that the workshop’s main objective is to educate the participants on how to start, manage, and grow small businesses, help them to lead a balanced life and provide them with the opportunity to give back to their community through the formulation and implementation of a community action plan.

In an invited comment, Ms. Latoya Adams, a participant who is not a small business owner as yet, said that she was thankful for the opportunity to take part in the workshop and looks forward to the community action plan that will be established. “I see this workshop as a great opportunity and I especially look forward to the community action plan since I see the progress the last participants made in the establishment of a salt fish factory,” she said.

The workshop is organised by the Office of the First Lady in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection and Interweave Solutions (Guyana) Incorporated. This is the third Self-Reliance Workshop for the year 2018.