ONE hundred and sixty-two students successfully completed the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) Skills Training Programme and graduated on Wednesday at a ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre.

The students received training in three areas: Music Production, Information Technology (IT) and Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Leadership training in collaboration with the National School of Music, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and various government ministries.

Delivering the feature address at the ceremony, Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, commended the graduates for completing the training which he said will put them in good stead in their future endeavours.

He acknowledged that Guyana as a country is still largely affected by unemployment, and as such, it would require national focus on common goals for the country to move forward. “Evidence appears to suggest a widening deficit between the unemployment rate and the rate at which we can concoct solutions to reduce it. I must admit that it’s a complex problem, one that will require certain actions that will involve all stakeholders,” Jordan established.

These stakeholders, the minister said, are the youths, the government, the private sector and civil society, all which must work together in order to end unemployment in the country to which “there are no quick fixes.”
The minister went on to highlight that there is a growing need for skilled workers which are seemingly becoming more and more scarce as persons are led to believe that they need to obtain an “office job” in order to be accomplished.

The finance minister stated: “There is dignity in every kind of labour and that in many cases skilled persons can make much more than others in white collar jobs.”
Amid the graduates were several women who were highlighted for their perseverance as single parents, who, at the same time, tackled the responsibilities of the training in order to better themselves. In encouraging these individuals, the minister said: “Do not let anyone discourage you in any way…don’t let anyone drown you with their negativity… do not let anyone convince you that there is indignity in any small enterprise. Focus on the goal that you want and go for it. There is dignity in hard work, there is no dignity in shortcuts.”

To those sitting in wait of opportunity to come knocking, Jordan cautioned that it is not the government’s duty to provide all jobs but rather to provide the opportunities for its citizens to create their own jobs though entrepreneurial ventures. This he said has been ongoing in the last two and a half to three years as the government has facilitated and provided opportunities for citizens to become their own employers.

The finance minister said that as the government begins to restructure the economy, business incubators are being set up in several regions in order to enhance the training students have received with practical experience.

In addition the government has provided $100 M into a Small Business Fund being managed by the Ministry of Business through which industrious individuals can receive small loans for start-up purposes. This, he encouraged the graduates to look in to, as well as the Ministry of Social Protection’s Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) $150M grant programme, meant for small businesses. The goal for the graduates, Jordan advised, should not be merely to obtain a certificate but rather, “it must be a means to an end and means of your going ahead, a means of you contributing to this country called ours.”

Also speaking at the graduation ceremony was Chairman of BIT, Clinton Williams, who said that the board is convinced that the skills mastered by the graduates would not only contribute to new entrepreneurial businesses but to the reduction of crime and poverty. In addition, attending the gathering was Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma; Chairman of the BNTF, Bernard Lord; National School of Music Administrator, Andrew Tyndall and Adviser on Youth Empowerment, Aubrey Norton.

At the ceremony, several of the graduates from the three courses were awarded trophies for Most Perseverance, Most Improved and Best Graduating Student, while three of the graduates received new laptop computers.

The Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) is a grant programme funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and is currently in its Ninth Phase, having been initiated over 30 years ago and presently functioning in 10 Caribbean countries.