Labour Ministry starts Class 2010 for 150 more
MINISTER of Labour, Mr. Manzoor Nadir, yesterday disclosed that his ministry spends $200M annually on training.
He made the disclosure during the orientation and inauguration of Class 2010 for ‘Capacity Building for Skills Advancement’ at Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI), Cove and John, East Coast Demerara.
The Class of 2010 will see 150 women being trained over five months in areas of sewing, garment manufacturing, fabric designing, food preparation and catering.
Nadir told the trainees that, after they would have graduated, although the Ministry does not guarantee that they would get a job immediately, it will happen.
He noted that women can do almost any work that man do, because they are capable and, with time, the females have ventured into what are called males’ jobs.
Nadir said the programme offers a tremendous opportunity and exhorted participants to make efforts to empower themselves through skills knowledge.
He said, for its uniform allowance, the Ministry expends $300M yearly in the Public Sector and those aspiring to be seamstresses can really take advantage of the opening provided.
Nadir spoke of women taking up leadership roles in their homes and said the programme is geared to empower them with life skills through which they can earn.
“We give you a skill not money but skills empower you to become leaders,” he posited.
He also encouraged the women to get involved beyond the household and grasp educational opportunities by applying themselves.
Nadir said Government’s investment in skills training targets those who did not complete secondary education and it is funded by the taxpayers’ dollars.
He challenged those taking part: “It is never too late to learn.”
Nadir revealed that every year 2,500 children drop out of schools and 4,000 young people will be trained this year through programmes organised by his ministry to cope with the schools dropout backlog.
He said, from surveys, the Ministry knows that clerical skills are most needed in the work environment and it trains 200 persons yearly in that field alone.
GWLI Coordinator, Ms. Sheila Veerasammy, outlined the mission and gave a brief history of the institution.
Chairperson of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Mrs. Indranie Chandarpal reiterated that the programme is to empower women to develop themselves.
Women’s Affairs Bureau (WAB) Administrator, Ms. Hymawattie Lagan, who chaired the proceedings, pleaded with the participants to take on the challenge many are not given, declaring it is a bold step in self-improvement.
Through the training, the Ministry will be able to fulfill its mandate of reducing poverty among underprivileged and single parent women and, at the same time, meet its international commitment to the Convention on the Elimination on all Forms of Discrimination and the Millennium Development Goals, among others.