Min. Walrond announces Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fund

-says Gov’t will support young people’s ideas

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Hon. Oneidge Walrond is assuring young people that the Government will support their entrepreneurial ideas. Minister Walrond said this will be done through an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fund.

The Minister recalled that President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali had said that he envisions a place where innovative ideas from students could be heard and funded.

Minister Walrond was at the time addressing students of the Bartica and Three Miles Secondary Schools in Bartica, Region Seven.

The Minster said Government is sold on the idea that people engaged in economic activities are the means of wealth creation in a country.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Hon. Oneidge Walrond addressing students of the Three Miles Secondary School

“We are saying to you as a Government, we will support the research and development for those ideas because some ideas will take further research… So, when you come, the entrepreneurship and innovation programme, we are going to look at your ideas, fund research and development, fund technical advice for you to be able to bring this idea into implementation and possibly into a full-blown business where you would be able to monetise.

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fund is what the Government has decided we are going to put and back you as students and back your ideas. There is no idea that is too silly, there is no idea that is too small for us to listen to,” she said.

Minister Walrond said Guyana is on a transformative trajectory with the oil and gas sector. She told the students that life in the next 15 years would be different from what it is now as people from across the world would be travelling here to capitalise on business opportunities.

Students of the Three Miles Secondary School completing the National State of Entrepreneurship Survey

“We want you to benefit from the development trajectory that Guyana is on. You get engaged with economic activity, you get engaged with entrepreneurship activities and ideas and we are saying as a Government, we will back you,” she said.

Students of the Bartica Secondary School completing the survey

The students also participated in the “National State of Entrepreneurship Survey,” which is being conducted in schools countrywide. The Government will use the survey as a guide to draft policies and plans for young entrepreneurs to flourish.

Students of the Bartica Secondary School completing the survey

Students of the Linden Foundation Secondary, Mackenzie High School, Harmony Secondary, Wisburg Secondary, and the New Silver City Secondary Schools in Region Ten have participated in the survey. The National State of Entrepreneurship Survey will also be extended to the adult population and entrepreneurs countrywide.