Technical, vocational training will reach every community – Min. Hamilton

− 90 graduate from training through Humanitarian Mission Guyana

Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton says the Government will ensure technical and vocational training reaches every community countrywide through the Ministry’s Board of Industrial Training.

Minister Hamilton was speaking at the Humanitarian Mission Guyana Incorporated (HMGI) 2021 graduation exercise which was held in Ankerville, Port Mourant, Berbice on Saturday. Some 90 persons graduated after receiving training in areas including cookery, cake decorating, sewing, cosmetology and Information Technology.

Minister Hamilton was joined by Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha Regional Chairman, Mr. David Armogan and Vice-Chairman, Mr. Zamal Hussain.

The Labour Minister said the aim is to ensure the people of Region Six benefit from the same opportunities as the people in Region Four. This, he said, can only be done through collaborations with non-governmental organisations, community groups and local democratic organs.

Apart from the HMGI, Minister Hamilton said his Ministry would be collaborating with other organisations including the GuySuCo Training Centre at Port Mourant, to launch more training programmes in the Region.

Already, the Ministry has appointed BIT officers to serve the Upper Corentyne and other parts of Region Six. A building was also identified in Skeldon to provide accommodations for BIT and other labour officers.

“So, any village that needs training, you can make contact with the officer who will sit with you, map the programme out and deal with all the logistics.

Programmes are planned with the villages, communities or organisations. We don’t impose a programme on no one because people have different needs in different communities,” he said.

Minister Hamilton said these skills training programmes are important to help families generate income and save money. He encouraged the graduates to use the training they received as a stepping stone to move on to greater things.

Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha spoke of the importance the PPP/C Government has placed on education as it views it as the key to eradicating the many social ills in communities.

“We will have to ensure that not only our economy is developed, not only our infrastructure is developed, but our human resources, so that we can be prepared to make Guyana the economic powerhouse in this hemisphere. And so, we will need people with skills,” he said.

The HMGI functions as a skills training, social services and counselling centre for individuals. The organisation aims to “Educate, Empower, and Elevate” individuals.