BIT makes history in Moruca

THE BOARD OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING (BIT) HELD ITS FIRST GRADUATION
EXERCISE in Moruca, Barima-Waini (Region One) when 51 students successfully completed
training in several disciplines.

Among the graduands, 30 acquired skills in catering and cake decoration, 11 in shade house
gardening and 10 in solar installation and repairs.
When he addressed the graduands, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton assured them more skilled
areas will be available in future training programmes.
“I would say to Region One and to Moruca, this is your first graduation exercise and I can assure
you it would not be the last. I took the opportunity to meet with the Regional Administration and
the Toshaos of different villages to seek their response to forward (additional) programmes to us
for technical training in their communities,” he said.
Already, “one of the programmes requested is small engine repairs. Primarily, people being
trained to repair ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), that is a useful tool in this part of the region and the
country. We are grateful that we can be afforded this opportunity to bring the necessary skills
training to people of these communities, and we will continue to do that,” the minister assured.
Other hinterland communities are also on the government’s radar for similar schemes to be
funded from the $365M set aside in this year’s estimates to back the national initiative, minister
Hamilton said during the programme held at the Moruca Extension Centre.
“In Moruca, we have several co-ops. We need to shepherd them so that they can become vehicles
of development in the Moruca Sub- District. And therefore, the CCDO (Chief Coops
Development Officer) will stay and engage with these groups to ensure that they get the
necessary training and be able to function effectively and efficiently, Hamilton explained.

“We will continue to give the necessary support to the region like we have set out to do with all
regions, so that we can continue to bring the necessary facilities and the necessary opportunities
to far found regions,” the minister declared,
On Tuesday the labour ministry appointed its first technical officer for Mabaruma, in Region
One. The ministry said that its seeking to acquire a permanent labour office in the region.  This,
they noted, is in keeping with its wider plan to decentralise services in remote areas.
BIT’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Richard Maughn; Regional Vice Chairperson,
Ms. Annansha Peters; BIT Technical Officer, Region Two, Mr. Mohammed Shaheed and
BIT Technical Officer, Region One, Mr. Trevi Leung were among those at the first BIT
graduation ceremony in the remote community.