HEYS making headway in Tiperu
DPI, Guyana, Monday, November 25, 2019
Villagers from the South Pakaraima, Region 9 (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) community of Tiperu, have been enjoying the successes of the Coalition’s Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme.
Minister of Business, Hon. Haimraj Rajkumar said 17 young residents have so far, for this year benefitted from the programme, where finance was given to start businesses.
“That’s another way that this government is encouraging persons to be self-sufficient to work and earn,” Minister Rajkumar told residents of Tiperu at a community engagement.
The village only recently acquired some $3M to maintain its roads; the project saw residents from the community being employed.
“That is one way that our government is assisting people. Sometimes people would come and would hand things, but our government is encouraging you, not to depend on anyone, but to work. Because when you work, you get paid. The persons who worked on the road were paid,” he told the residents through an interpreter.
He said since the administration took office, there has been mass development across the country, including the hinterland regions.
Close to 1,000 persons have benefitted, in Region 9, since the commencement of the programme in 2015. Out of that amount, 532 businesses were created. The remaining persons either opted for higher learning, while others moved on to receive training in the Ministry of Public Health’s Community Health Workers (CHW) programme. Others are currently serving at the community level.
Over the last three years, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government invested more than $2B in the HEYS programme; $1B in 2016, $991M in 2017 and $982M in 2018.
The programme is the brainchild of His Excellency, President David Granger as part of the Ten-point Plan for Hinterland Development presented to the National Toshaos Council in 2015. The objective is to provide educational, entrepreneurial, vocational & technical training opportunities that will lead to empowerment, job creation, employment whilst improving livelihoods and ultimately poverty reduction.