Linden secures more BIT programmes

Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton has announced that seven technical and vocational training programmes will soon be offered to Lindeners. He said that this will be done through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), as the agency continues its drive to upskill Guyana’s human resources and prepare citizens for the oil and gas industry.

On Monday, Hamilton led a skills training consultation conducted at the Linden Technical Institute. The minister noted that the response from the region signals its willingness to develop like the rest of the country.

“Linden can expect a lot of changes and transformation as regards executed programmes to develop the skill set of persons in Linden … in six months’ time we can positively contribute to changing that for the better of the community,” he said. Minister Hamilton revealed that several sub- groups with representatives of local organs, the Guyana Police Force and others will be established to finalise plans within two weeks.

The minister disclosed that electric installation, general building, trial skills fair and other ideas were highlighted in the session. Hamilton stressed that Guyanese must be ready for the oil and gas industry.

“We, as Guyanese, have two choices which is either we allow the status quo to cry about expatriates taking the jobs or all of us together do some things to change what we have,” he warned. Meanwhile, BIT’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Richard Maughan told attendees that the technical institute has been able to address the region’s skills gap.

“The region’s technical institute has been doing a good job with generating skills, but based on what is currently needed in the country and so, we need to up the intake of the amount of individuals that are trained,” Maughan noted. The BIT CEO expressed thanks to the stakeholders for playing a role in the region’s transformation and by extension, the country.

“I guarantee you that we will deliver, but we can only deliver based on your guidance and the things that you say that you need,” he declared.