BIT programmes to benefit Moraikobai residents

The Labour Ministry continues to roll out its technical and vocational training courses through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) to ensure every citizen has access to equal opportunities.

Minister, Joseph Hamilton on Tuesday, launched three courses; commercial food preparation, garment construction and small engine repairs at Moraikobai, an Amerindian village in Region Five.

It was noted that these courses were selected during a discussion with BIT’s technical officers and the villagers. As such, after the discussion, 47 persons took the opportunity to get registered.

Hamilton disclosed that the Government has committed to ensuring that citizens residing in hinterland communities can access and benefit from the Government’s programmes and initiatives.

Hamilton pointed out to residents that BIT’s programmes are free of cost, no prior certificate or qualifications are required and all materials necessary for the successful completion of the courses are supplied by the government.

Further, the minister said that BIT’s courses are not gendered specific and therefore, women are encouraged to register for more hard-skill courses.

“You cannot build and develop Moraikobai if because of gender, women are excluded from certain types of training and that is what I try to say to women as I travel around this country. I want to say to men in this regard that I believe you have a responsibility and a duty to support the female in your life whether it’s your wife or your daughter, so they can have the requisite training for the development of themselves,” he stressed.

The Labour Minister revealed that the commercial food preparation course is necessary since Moraikobai is an emerging tourism destination, equipped with an eco-lodge, benabs and many other tourist attractions.

As such, the course will enable residents to better develop their culinary skills and provide improved services to persons visiting the community.

Meanwhile, resident, Maureena Hope welcomed the training opportunities now being offered to the community.

“I think it could benefit them a lot because we women in this community we don’t really have a permanent job, some of us, so like we here are really interested and we think that it could help us a lot,” Hope said.

Another resident, Salome Calistro explained that these courses will improve the residents’ standard of living.

“Firstly, I would like to thank the government for bringing the opportunity right in this community now being a multitalented person it’s very important…It will benefit them, it’s very important to them because the standard of life also will raise,” Calistro stressed.

Deputy Toshao, Jeff Bonaparte noted that the BIT programmes will benefit the people of Moraikobai, especially the younger population.

Bonaparte revealed that this will get them involved in wholesome activities and enable them to become employable. “I know that this programme will help my community in terms of our young people, we target our young people that drop out of school so that they can get themselves involve in positive things like capacity building and so definitely I see where my community can be uplifted by this programme,” the deputy Toshao explained.

It was disclosed that in 2020, 2,000 citizens were trained and certified through BIT while in 2021, 3,086 persons were trained. This year, the ministry said that they are expected to train approximately 6,000 Guyanese.