Resources available for empowerment – Minister Hamilton

The government is dedicated to ensuring resources are available for Guyanese nationwide to be empowered through educational and skill-training programmes.

Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton said Thursday that the government has made significant strides in providing vocational and life skills training directly to Amerindian villages and settlements across the country since 2020.

This achievement was made possible through massive collaborations with Regional Democratic Councils, Village Councils and the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

Minister Hamilton made the statement while addressing the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in Liliendaal.

From 2020 to 2024, BIT was able to train and certify 2,144 residents from across Regions One, Two, Three, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten in key occupational areas.  

These trainings include electrical installation, heavy-duty equipment operation, welding and fabrication, agro processing, small engine repairs and information and communication technology (ICT).

The minister said his ministry has gone beyond just training and has constructed training centres to ensure apprentices work in a conducive environment.

There are training facilities in Bartica in Region Seven and Lethem in Region Nine.

Facilities are also under construction at Port Kaituma in Region One and Mahdia in Region Eight. These centres will be completed in several months.

BIT is expected to roll out 97 training programmes across 58 communities this year, with 28 programmes underway and 59 more pending final logistics arrangements.

“We aim to directly engage 1,300 beneficiaries, including 722 males and 578 females, under a budgeted investment of $221 million in Region One, Seven, Eight and Nine and the riverine communities,” the minister stated.

He said the government aims to ensure that the trainers for these programmes are selected from within the village.

In Region Seven, BIT has partnered with G-Mining Ventures to train 200 persons for direct employment within the Oko West Mining Project in occupational areas such as heavy-duty equipment operation, electrical installation, welding and fabrication, among other areas.