THE Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on Friday signed the agreement for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded Youth Empowerment Inclusion and Reconciliation Project (YEIRP).

This was done at the ministry’s boardroom, in the presence of the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, Coordinator of the project, Mr.Vickram Bharrat, and other ministry officials.
Signing on behalf of the ministry was Permanent Secretary, Collin Croal, and for the appointed institute, the Tiara Institute of New Amsterdam Berbice, was representative Michelle Baird.
This project entails the selection and training of 30 youth leaders across six regions in Guyana. These are Regions 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), 3 (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara), 4 (Demerara/ Mahaica), 5 (Mahaica/ Berbice), 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice)
The ministry is at the point in the project where they are very much ready and prepared to sign the consultancy contract with the winning consultant.
This is according to Bharrat, who noted that “in that project, they have undergone the government procurement policy that is through the national procurement and tender board, Ministry of Finance.”
He added that the project sum is $1, 630,000, and that contract was awarded to the Tiara Academy.
“The contract involves the preparation and delivery of seven topical modules that are pertinent to youth development within our society”, Bharrat said.
It also involves the monitoring of community projects that will be carried out by the 30 participants in their respective regions, and the project will last until March 31, 2014.
The Youth Empowerment Inclusion and Reconciliation Project seeks to empower youths with skills to ensure their participation in decision-making, and to boost their understanding of it and, in so doing, guarantee they make meaningful contribution to the development of their communities and Guyana.