CITING existing models, President David Granger has expressed the hope of having financial schemes established across the country to satisfy the needs of budding entrepreneurs. “I hope that every single town…could have schemes by which young people could access credit, access training and set up their own businesses,” the President said, as he spoke to reporters on his weekly television programme, The Public Interest.

“I hope that every single town…could have schemes by which young people could access credit, access training and set up their own businesses.” – President Granger

Government will continue to create the environment needed to empower the young generation, he emphasised while alluding to the three primary initiatives – the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED); the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) Programme; and the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) – that are equipping young people with the requisite skills, knowledge and finance needed to become entrepreneurs.
Last week, more than 100 young entrepreneurs from across Guyana graduated from the Ministry of Communities SLED initiative.
Two of the beneficiaries, one of whom was freed from jail after being pardoned by the President and the other formerly of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), testified to having been given another opportunity to change their lives for the better.
Through the SLED initiative, young Guyanese are being equipped with the relevant skills to enter the world of business with special emphasis on innovation. Additionally, the programme provides grants to registered groups and associations, who need the financial or economic boost to improve their enterprises.
However, it is operationalised after the prospective entrepreneur undergoes training, provides a business plan/proposal and is identified as a successful applicant. SLED has partnered with non-profit organisations, such as the Canada-funded Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED), the Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) and the Swine Producers Association to provide training and capacity-building to beneficiaries of the grant.
Like SLED, which aims to assist those at the grassroots level by providing training, mentorship, business development skills and start-up grants for individuals and for groups, President Granger during another forum had explained that LEN, which was launched last December in the mining town of Linden,is designed to provide financial assistance to persons with ideas for small business ventures. A government subvention of $155M from the 2015 national budget has been made available to assist those persons.
The HEYS Programme, which caters for 2000 youths in 106 communities, is also testimony of the government’s plans to create employment opportunities.