TWENTY-TWO participants on Thursday graduated from a financial literacy and small business training programme which will be introduced to the hinterland regions in the coming months.
The six-week intensive training programme was hosted by the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment.
The head of that office, Aubrey Norton, explained that as part of Government’s plan to develop the human resource in Guyana, particularly among youths, the programme was introduced.
The courses offered were in the areas of financial literacy, preparation of business plans, communication, budgeting and accounting procedures, among others.
According to Norton, human resource development remains critical to the overall development of Guyana. In this regard, he noted that there are only two ways an individual can be empowered, and that is by educating them for employment or educating them for entrepreneurship.
Norton, a former lecturer at the University of Guyana, encouraged the graduates to have a vision and be clear about where they want to go.
“You need to have a plan, learn to make good decisions based on what you have been taught, and cultivate good habits to be successful. Communication is also critical as you cannot be successful without knowing to communicate effectively,” he said.
Noting that no training programme can teach an individual everything, the presidential advisor offered that “the greatest training programme in life is practice.”

He explained to the participants that as they face reality, they must use the information they have retained to adapt to the real world since adaptation is necessary for success.
The participants were also encouraged to be involved in what Norton described as “inter-generational preparation,” whereby children are taught life’s lessons at a young age as opposed to waiting until they are adults to prepare them for adulthood.
“Don’t wait until your children reach your age to teach them. We will do well if we could educate children as young as possible. Knowledge is never too much. The only problem with knowledge is if it is not applied properly,” he shared.
It was also announced by the presidential advisor that the programme will be taken to the hinterland regions in an attempt to bridge the gap between that region and the coast and provide similar opportunities to individuals there.
Meanwhile, Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, who also addressed the graduates, emphasised the importance of having formal training to be a competitive player in the world of business.
“To be successful in business, you need to understand the financial aspects of running a business and be able to plan months in advance,” he said.
Lauding the course content, the minister noted that there would be a need to understand the dynamics of the corporate world, in terms of knowing how to pay taxes, offsetting expenses and expanding one’s business.
“Understanding numbers help you to achieve your targets,” he said, while encouraging youths to venture into the world of technology, which he contends, holds limitless possibilities.
“Do not be intimidated by technology. You should incorporate modern technology into anything you do. Technology increases competitiveness and anything that increases your competitiveness gives you an edge over your competitors.”
Further, the minister pointed out that in the 21st century, technical proficiency is one of the ingredients necessary for a successful business.