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It will get funding of $200M for the execution in four Regions, catering for persons between the ages of 18 and 40 years.
Participants would be trained in areas such as Information Communication Technology (ICT), governance and leadership, business and financial management, social and welfare services, eco-tourism, monitoring and reporting and disaster management.
On the entrepreneurial side, first hand training would be done to give apprentices experience in the different fields.
Those participating were selected from villages and communities across the Regions and among those present at the Saturday’s ceremony were Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Sukhai; Permanent Secretary, Mr. Nigel Dharamlall; Liaison Officer, Ms. Yvonne Pearson; Programme Coordinator, Ms. Jude Da Silva; Toshao, Mr. Richard Cornelius; Regional Chairman, Mr. Paul Pierre and other senior officers in the Region.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Sukhai acknowledged it was a very historic day for the people of the hinterland and moreso for youths.
FOUR REGIONS
She highlighted the involvement of the Government and her Ministry in working with the village councils of four regions in the country.
She indicated that the scheme will spawn three other Regions, 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni); 8 (Potaro/Siparuni) and 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo).
Sukhai remembered that former President Bharrat Jagdeo had stressed the need for young people to be involved in the development of the country and activities that would be meaningful to their families and communities.
Alluding to the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), she emphasised youth involvement in developing strong human resources so that Guyana can move forward in the way it should.
Sukhai pointed to the necessity for a healthy population and mentioned some of the desires of the present President, Mr. Donald Ramotar.
She said the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had this project on paper for a long time and it is now a reality for the young people in the hinterland.
Sukhai said the engagement of the hinterland youth, giving them an equal opportunity like any other Guyanese, is what the Government intends.
CREATE JOBS
She said all Guyanese must seize the opportunities as this project is expected to create jobs through the training and funding that would be implemented.
She declared, gone are the days when the hinterland youth had no access to a secondary education and, from the information provided by the village councils and toshaos, there are a number of persons with specific interest in the four categories for which the project is designed.
Health, education and social welfare have scored the maximum and they signal the requirement for building a skills base development block for the country, Sukhai observed.
However, she suggested that, at some time in this process, there must be consideration for the learning of the cultural languages of the Amerindian people.
“You must first be able to learn and speak your traditional language and, if not, the language of your neighbour,” Sukhai urged the apprentices.
Dharamlall commended all those participating and was sure that, as rain fell, they were receiving blessings from God.
He concurred that the occasion was an historic one and said it would see the enhancement and developmental change in the long journey to which the youths of today are set to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Dharamlall said the project is to integrate Amerindian youths in local governance within their respective communities.
“The strength of our villages can now be tested in the development of the education of our young people and the zest to become new leaders among other support positions needed,” he stated.
Apart from the speeches, two traditional cultural performances were rendered for the entertainment of the scores in attendance.
