–provides training to strengthen country’s procurement process, engages with Region’s private sector   

SENIOR Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service Dr. Ashni Singh led an outreach to Region Two on Wednesday to promote and encourage full participation in a number of educational and training opportunities the government has planned for youths.

The outreach had to do with the government’s agenda of enhancing human capital development through education and skills training across the country. It also followed a visit to the Region by Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who, on behalf of the administration, promised to directly facilitate the utilisation of the education and skills training opportunities being offered by the government.
The whole purpose of the exercise was to sensitise youths to the numerous training programmes and scholarships, and even sign up on-the-spot for those being offered by the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), and the Ministries of Health, Public Service, Agriculture, and Tourism, Industry and Commerce.

The event was held at the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School, where, ably supported by Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Oneidge Walrond, Dr. Singh used the opportunity while addressing youths in attendance to highlight the rapid economic growth that the country is currently achieving, and indicated that this growth translates into opportunities in all sectors of interest for all Guyanese irrespective of where they live.
In particular, the Minister pointed out that with the new emerging economy, the country needs more professionals and technicians in every sector, including doctors, nurses, engineers, welders, construction workers, heavy-duty equipment operators.
He further alluded to the fact that in Budget 2024, reference was made to the unprecedented level of entrepreneurial and employment opportunities that are being generated as a result of Guyana’s rapid economic growth.
Minister Singh further pointed to the wide array of academic scholarships being offered by GOAL, as well as the various skills training programmes conducted by BIT, and he urged the youths to make full use of these opportunities.
It can be recalled that His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has repeatedly said that Guyanese are living in an era which requires boldness as a country and as individuals to explore ways in which we can better what is already being done as well as engage in new economic activities.

Dr. Singh also met and engaged with a broad cross-section of the private sector, and listened to their concerns. During discussions, he highlighted the various development initiatives in the Region, and encouraged them to continue to invest and expand their operations in Region Two and beyond.

Minister Walrond, who also addressed the private sector, elaborated on the government’s plans to promote Region Two as a major centre for tourism, and she engaged several stakeholders of the sector.
Importantly, as the government continues to strengthen the country’s procurement process, and ensure good governance, accountability and transparency in relation to the procurement, awarding and implementation of projects throughout the country, officials of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) today conducted a training exercise with a number of regional procurement entities.

Persons at the forum were sensitised to the legal bidding and procurement procedures in terms of Government contracts so that tendering authorities conduct the process in the correct manner and are in full compliance with the Procurement Act and its Regulations.
Vice-President Jagdeo, during a recent visit to the Region, had said: “There is no room for departure of that Act unless they get the explicit approval of the NPTAB and the Ministry of Finance. Too often we have found departures from the standard bidding document that are part of our legislation, and because there are so many procuring entities around the country, hundreds of them at different levels, they can alter the bidding documents which should be standard. That should not happen.”