FINANCIAL literacy must become a cultural norm if Guyana is to empower its youth, entrepreneurs, and wider society, declared President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Mrs. Kathy Smith, during the launch of the University of Guyana’s 2025 ‘Money Week’ at the Turkeyen Campus on Monday.
Addressing a diverse audience of students, faculty, and business leaders, Mrs. Smith, a seasoned entrepreneur in the construction sector, underscored the critical role of money not just as a medium of exchange, but as a powerful tool for transformation.

“Money is not just currency, it is a tool—a tool for empowerment, a tool for growth, a tool for change—yet too many of our people, especially our youth and small business owners, are left to navigate the financial world without a map,” she stated. “They face hard choices with little guidance. They are urged to succeed but are not often taught how to manage what they earn or how to multiply what they save.”
She urged for greater emphasis on financial literacy across all sectors of society, pointing out that wealth, stability, and progress are built “step-by-step, decision-by-decision, and dollar-by-dollar.”
“We must normalise conversations about budgeting, saving, investing and credit—not just in boardrooms or banks, but in classrooms, community centres and around the dinner table,” Mrs. Smith said, calling for more inclusive financial systems and accessible education.

The GCCI President also lauded the University of Guyana for its continued commitment to equipping students and the public with vital financial knowledge.
She affirmed the Chamber’s support for the initiative, which she said fosters the discipline, knowledge, and courage needed to achieve long-term financial success.
Now in its eighth year, ‘Money Week’ was first launched in 2017 and remains a key initiative aimed at empowering students, faculty, alumni, and the wider public with essential financial skills to support their path to prosperity.