With BNTF funding…
THE Government of Guyana, through Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), has opened a $7M Information Technology (IT) centre at Cotton Field, on Essequibo Coast.
Speaking at the Tuesday morning opening, Chairman of Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr. Alli Baksh said the facility in the Cotton Field Youth Centre is to train Essequibians, young and old.
He said he is happy that the project is underway, with 30 youths from different villages and Lima Sands area are currently being given a one month course free of cost.
Baksh urged them to make full use of the opportunity to learn about computers and encouraged the trainees to see the project as a challenge to learn new IT skills.
He pledged to see the centre properly managed, maintained and sustained.
BNTF Project Manager, Mr. Michael Singh said the place is equipped with 15 computers and will be air-conditioned.
He said the current batch in training will get a free lunch every day and he announced that they will be required to write an examination at the end of the stint. Those who are successful will obtain a certificate from the Board of Industrial Training.
Singh said he wants to develop the place into a document centre where persons can go and also browse the Internet.
He said similar IT centres are at Hururu in Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice), Goed Fortuin in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and Bath in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice).
Others will be established, shortly, at Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) and Mabaruma in Region One (Barima/Waini), Singh disclosed.