-Dr Bynoe tells residents of Mahdia

DIRECTOR, Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, last week encouraged residents of Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight) to equip themselves with the requisite skills needed to benefit from the petroleum sector.

Dr. Bynoe told residents of Mahdia and neighbouring communities, as well as secondary school students, that Guyanese can benefit from the petroleum sector and contribute directly to the country’s development.

The Director, who spoke at an interactive session held in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) of Region Eight at the Mahdia Secondary School, discussed the petroleum sector and the potential impact and transformation it will have on Guyana’s economy.

“Guyana, for the first time, is in a position to determine, collectively, the destination where it wants to go,” Dr. Bynoe said as he noted that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions will play a vital role in boosting competency and efficiency. Dr. Bynoe said Guyana will experience a developmental paradigm which is in conformity with the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). He said, too, that with the emergence of the ‘New Guyana’, a plethora of other industries will benefit also.

In this regard, Dr. Bynoe urged the Council for TVET to establish technical and vocational educational institutions in Region Eight to assist residents to acquire the requisite skills to be utilized in the petroleum sector as well as other industries. Meanwhile, Mayor of Mahdia, His Worship, David Adams commended the Department of Energy for hosting the interactive session and for ensuring that youths are sensitized about the benefits which can be derived from the sector.

Mr. Adams said the visit by the Department of Energy to Mahdia serves to reinforce government’s policy on consulting and engaging the citizenry on its developmental plans and programmes. “I applaud the inclusion of the young people in these discussions because they are the future of Guyana. The massive socio-economic and infrastructural transformation that will result in the oil industry in the coming years will have to be managed by you–the young people,” he said.

Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ms. Mitsy Campbell, also encouraged the residents to position themselves to benefit from all that the sector has to offer. “We have a local posture of asking what companies can do for us. We need to change that posture to ask what opportunities for business do they offer to us. Then we must take that information and prepare ourselves to benefit. Oil and gas revenues will transform Guyana into a modern country with modern facilities, but we also need to adopt a modern and productive mindset,” Ms. Campbell said.

Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Mr. Bonadventure Fredericks commended the efforts of the central, regional and local governments in the execution of plans and projects which the township of Mahdia has benefited tremendously from.
Additionally, Council for CTVET’s Director, Mr. Floyd Scott, said Guyanese stand to benefit from opportunities which will arise from the petroleum sector and encouraged those gathered to pay attention to the required standards. Mr. Scott iterated that training and certification are vital to the forthcoming opportunities. The CTVET Director advised further that the Ministry of Education’s Educational Reform Plan allows for the establishment of TVET institutions in the future, thereby providing citizens with much-needed training and certification. (Ministry of the Presidency)