Tech-Voc youth benefit from Occupational Safety and Health symposium

April 18, 2018

DPI, GUYANA, Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Scores of young students in the technical and vocational field today benefitted from a symposium on occupational safety and health offered by the Ministry of Social Protection in collaboration with the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH).

Hon Keith Scott addressing the youth present.

Opening the symposium held at the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC) was the Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Keith Scott who noted that it is an educational opportunity for these young persons who are more susceptible to harm in the workplace.

“You are in the midst of the month of occupation safety and health, during which we endeavour to educate and sensitise all stakeholders especially workers about their responsibilities within the realm of safety. It is no secret that young workers are more vulnerable to workplace accidents than their mature counterparts and the possibilities for accidents are greater within the technical and vocational environment. Therefore, we want to educate you on how to avoid such unfortunate circumstances and that is precisely what this symposium is about,” Minister Scott said

The Minister also alluded to the steps that the government has made in addressing youth issues and promoting their development through the National Youth Policy and provisions in the 2018 Budget.

“This opportunity is to remind ourselves that our government laid before the National Assembly, a National Youth Policy, which is designed to promote the total development of every youth in our nation, subsequent to that policy the National Assembly passed the largest ever budget in 2018 which also emphasised the growth and development of youth and young workers,” he relayed.

The symposium also saw representatives of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry (CAGI), Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sharing brief remarks to the students.

Being held under the theme “Generation Safe and Healthy: By Improving the Safety and Health of Young Workers” the symposium complements the observance of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) month. The Ministry has been actively engaged in several promotional activities which will focus on expanding the knowledge base on occupational safety and health and also sensitising young workers about their rights and obligations within the context of OSH, both at the enterprise and national level.