12 Region Five Co-op societies to be revitalised

-BIT to train members-

Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton on Friday met members from 12 Co-operative societies in Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five) to address labour issues and ways to revitalise co-operatives in the region.

The meeting was held in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) at Fort Wellington.

“I want the members of co-op societies to think outside the box; we must be able to develop our communities and the country. There will be several opportunities for co-op societies to grab, but first, the members must be ready to seek change and ensure there is transparency at all cost,” he said.

Persons at the meeting were also encouraged to form co-op societies in their communities as a good vehicle to empower and create avenues for development.

“Co-ops are treated in a short shrift way, and this must change, my aim is to change the face and the way people view co-ops. There will be training of officers and members of co-ops, and this will be prepared through the Board of Industrial Training in financial, marketing and accounting skills to remove deficiency,” Minister Joseph said.

The Labour Ministry is in support of accountable and transparent co-op societies, he said, but first, there must be formalised societies and devoted members.

“The man or woman who come up with the idea; sometimes, they do not have the capacity to properly run a co-op. In this case, people must be trained, and those who formed the co-op must step down and become a member,” the Minister stated.

Some 170 co-ops were revitalised with 68 new registrations last year. However, several of them, while active, were not in compliance with the laws, and others went dormant.

Some of the co-ops were formed under credit unions or different forms of agricultural societies such as chicken and sheep rearing, and fish processing.