THE second of four regional launchings of the Hinterland Youth Entrepreneurial Apprenticeship Programme (HYEAP) took place yesterday at the St. Ignatius Benab in Region 9, and more than 200 young people from some 58 villages in the Rupununi area signed up to become members.

First launched at Santa Rosa, Kumaka in Region One, last weekend, this programme obtained favourable response from another 200 young people there. Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 have been listed for this programme, and persons between 18 and 40 years old are the target group for the programme, which is geared to outfit some 800 young people.
Present at the significant and historic launching where the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Mrs Pauline Sukhai; Advisor to that Minister, Ms Yvonne Pearson; Region 9 Chairman, Mr. Wilson Lorentino; Regional Executive Officer, Mrs Claire Singh; HYEAP Coordinator, Ms. Jude De Silva; Toshao of St. Ignatius, Mrs Yusa Xavier; Community Development Officers (CDO) of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs (MoAA); the participants, and others regional and community officials.
The launching programme was opened with a prayer, followed by singing of the National Anthem and recitation of the National Pledge, the opening remarks, and an overview of the programme by Ms. Jude De Silva, coordinator of the programme. The launching was chaired by Regional Vice Chairman, Mr. Douglas Casimerio.
St. Ignatius and Karaudarnaua cultural groups shared their rich indigenous culture in activities at the launching, and their presentations were followed by a brief address from Regional Chairman Lorentino.
In her feature address to the gathering, Minister Sukhai emphasised that yesterday was very significant in the history of the hinterland people and Guyana as a whole. She said the HYEAP project was an initiative of President Donald Ramotar’s to give hinterland young people a chance at equal development.
She said the PPP Administration, in its last party manifesto, spoke about paying attention to the human resources of Guyana, which would constitute the country’s future, and she said the move in this respect was crafted in the HYEAP project.
Human resources, health, and well-being of the population were among the president’s message to the villages and communities which he had visited over the past year, and this was a main focus in the country’s development.
This project, she said, represented the president’s focus on developing the country, and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs is pleased to partner with the President in bringing fruition to his vision.
She deemed HYEAP an opportunity for young people to develop in one of the many areas which would be available through the project, and she said that those who previously never had the opportunity of a secondary education would find this a fitting opportunity.
The project will afford hands-on training to participants in all of its areas of focus, and Minister Sukhai said the Amerindian Affairs Ministry is pleased to facilitate development of the participants, coming as they are from the hinterland.
This project would enable the participants to gain employment with the Amerindian Affairs Ministry as Community Service Officers (CSO) under the categories of Health and Social Welfare, Sports & Culture, Reporting & Monitoring, and Information Technology, to name a few; and these CSOs would be engaged in the development of their respective communities through the respective areas of the project.
Explaining that, across communities of the hinterland, there are lots of young people who have remained in their communities to assist in its development, the minister added that volunteerism must be cultivated.
The indigenous people of Guyana are very wealthy, the minister opined, and among their wealth is land owned by collective communities; and they must be allowed to develop that land.
She highlighted the Rupununi as being the eco– tourism destination of Guyana, and said that communities must work hard and smart in developing their lands.
The enhancement of entrepreneurial skills which would create employment and development to uplift families, communities and Guyana must be pursued, the minister stressed.
The minister also stressed that after their period of apprenticeship, the participants of HYEAP would have been invested with both a skill and an ability to develop themselves and their communities.
Harnessing the natural resources of the village and communities towards development, with the aid of these CSOs’ input in entrepreneurship and skills should be the main focus of the leaders of the villages and communities.
Importantly, these CSOs are expected to maintain the use of their traditional languages.
Rupununi villages are known for their rich history in preserving their tradition languages, and this must be a very focal point of this project, the minister charged the apprentices.
Concluding her address, she highlighted that whenever she visits villages in the Rupununi, there are still persons who can speak their traditional languages fluently, and she has been told that their children are being taught the languages as well.