OUR PEOPLES’ INALIENABLE RIGHT TO LEARN AND EARN

Jan 08, 2017 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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This year holds a basketful of opportunities for personal growth for Guyanese throughout the

length and breadth of this land. Government has absolutely no intention of reneging on its promises to the nation’s youth, whether they live in the city, in towns or the hinterland regions, to create that enabling environment where they could thrive as they learn.
This past Christmas, Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock, and Minister within the Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, lost no opportunity to highlight the strides that our young people have been making especially in the Hinterland – the North West District, the Pomeroon, Moraikabai and Karasabai included.
It won’t hurt to repeat that the Parliamentary Committee of Supply during the recent debates in December has approved $2.4B that allow this Ministry to carry out its mandate, activate the programmes carved out for the next 12 months.
The teams are rearing to continue on with the ambitious programmes that the Ministry started in 2015. These include the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) Programme which is geared to impact the lives of at least 1000 youths in 2017, adding to the 1,976 youths who have already benefitted from the programmes conducted in 2016.
The main objective of HEYS is to equip the young people with the necessary knowledge and skills to become successful entrepreneurs, and to empower them to face the world markets with confidence, whether online via the ICT hubs that are being set up in their communities, or in person when they develop sufficient capacity to meet their product distributors in person in Japan, or China, or Canada.
Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe was out and about over the holidays and she took every opportunity to point out the early achievements of the HEYS programme over the past year, and the few setbacks it encountered such as the delay in procuring the funds to pay stipends to the participating youths.
From all appearances, that delay or any other did not stifle their ambition. Some refused to wait for delivery of the necessary farming equipment and tools. Instead they utilized makeshift implements and community resources to start work on their peanut farms and furniture workshops. Some are already receiving orders from other villages like Santa Mission.
In Parima they are making and selling wooden, cane and tibisiri furniture. At Paramakatoi initial work has started on the $35M sun-dried organic tomato project which will be complemented by a solar drying system. The residents involved in the project will grow, dry, package and market their smooth, red organic tomatoes. This project is intended to provide employment, and to purchase additional processing and packaging equipment so that the venture could stay abreast with advancing technology.
Added to this is the $50M Chicken project slated for the popular Bina Hill Learning Centre, Annai, Region 9. The meatbirds grown by the students will provide food to that village and its environs, to schools near and far, and guest houses.
The MoIPA’s blueprint also includes construction of a Hinterland Students Dormitory in the city to house students over 18 years old who are attending the Government Technical Institute (GTI), the Carnegie School of Home Economics, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) institute, the Teachers’ Training College and even the University of Guyana. This is all in the national design to ensure that every young Guyanese has access to good education and fitting accommodations, and that every village and community gets the chance to earn from the villagers’ talents.
The architectural design for the dorm will be ready shortly.
Minister Garrido-Lowe, at one of the get-togethers over the Christmas holidays, spoke about the very first large scale solar farm being set up in Mabaruma, Region 1, to provide some 3000 residents with an additional 17 hours of electricity.
She pointed out that the installation of internet-ready equipment in hinterland communities will positively affect every facet of life and broaden the opportunities for the people to earn substantially from tourism, craft, agricultural and medicinal products and indigenous foods.
For 2017, a minimum of 150 persons will be trained free of charge in business support skills such as graphic design, writing and office management tools. Further, the MoIPA in 2016 had supported two small business ventures run by women’s groups. That support will continue in 2017 and other business ventures involving agro processing, furniture and tool manufacturing and construction will be added to the programme.
Budget 2017 provides for an increase in the number of students who can benefit from the existing Hinterland Scholarship Programme. In 2016, this scholarship programme provided for 450 youths. This year it caters for 530 students
The HEYS Programme is spread throughout the hinterland from Mabaruma to South Rupununi, and spans several inland towns and villages as well. Last December, youths from Wikki-Calcuni, Region 10, presented the very first coffee table they made to H.E. President David Granger. According to the HEYS area monitor, the table was made from indigenous marble wood called ‘Snake Wood’ because of its natural patterning. The trees grow right there in the community.
Carpentry/Joinery is among the several vocational skills that youths in the HEYS programme are being taught. Others like the budding junior chefs at Kabakaburi, Upper Pomeroon River, are creating quite a stir in the kitchen. The young people there have grasped with both hands the opportunity for promising careers in Events Catering and food preparation.

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