Over 600 Amerindian youths to receive ICT, other training

Some 620 Amerindian youths living in hinterland and riverine communities are set to benefit from training in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), solar panel installation and driving.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai MP, said three persons from each Amerindian village will receive skills training to aid in their community’s development.

“For this year, we expect to train a maximum of three CSOs [Community Support Officers] in a skill that will be useful for the community or can put them on a competitive level with other individuals, wherever the opportunity may arise,” Minister Sukhai said during a recent outreach to Region Eight.

The Government has been on a progressive campaign to fulfil all promises made to citizens. To this end, more than 50 Amerindians have already received training in ICT, while some 170 more will receive similar training the end of the year.

“We have targeted 220 ICT students, 200 drivers and 200 solar panel technicians. We’ve already trained 50 ICT students and next month we will start training both the drivers and the solar panel installation and maintenance technicians.”

The Government is working through the re-established Community Support Officer programme which was launched in 2014 and replaced with the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) initiative by the former APNU/AFC administration. Some $820 million has been earmarked for the training and empowerment of Amerindian youths from Budget 2021.