THE Guyana Association of Administrative Professionals (GAAP) conducted a one-day seminar yesterday, under the theme: ‘Embracing Diversity…Critical to Organisation Success’, to celebrate Administrative Professionals Week. The participants were from both the private and public sectors and the event was hosted at the Pegasus Hotel, in Kingston, Georgetown.
President of GAAP, Ms. Dawn Dutchin told the Guyana Chronicle that the purpose was to observe 60 years recognition of GAAP’s efforts as an integral human resource within the business community.
She said yesterday was celebrated internationally but the seminar to mark the occasion here was sponsored solely by Digicel Guyana.
Dutchin said, among the invitees were the Ministries of Health and Education, Digicel, Guyana Defence Force (GDF), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), Hughes, Fields and Stoby, Guyana Prison Service (GPS), Da Silva’s House of Optics, Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC) and GuySuCo.
She said the programme focused on the role of administrative professionals in an information society and a week of activities have been planned to include a thanksgiving service, blood donation drive, careers talk and televised viewpoints from April 22 to 28.
Dutchin also noted that information technology (IT) has evolved over the years and persons are getting attuned to the rapid changes, in terms of training, to become more effective and nowadays youths are making use of the changing technology since they have more access.
She said, in years to come, it will be easier for youths to understand, given the changes and the older folks may find it more difficult to get a grasp as IT continues to change.
Dutchin added that GAAP is also a member of Caribbean Association of Administrative Professionals (CAAP) and the programme yesterday featured an address by Mr. Ryan Sinclair, Chief Technical Officer of Digicel Guyana and was facilitated by Mr. Lance Hinds, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Brainstreet.
The National Association of Secretaries now GAAP was founded by a group of secretaries, who attended a seminar during Secretaries Week in April 1983.