Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guyana are hoping to complete the first phase of the Guyana Diaspora Project (GUYD) in Antigua by early next year, according to today’s edition of the Antigua Observer.
The report said that staff are currently mapping the Guyanese diaspora in the region to assess available skills and resources that can be enticed back home and employed by public and private organisations.
The report said that the mapping is being carried out through an online survey.
“We are hoping we can have some kind of assessment done by the end of January and that is why we are trying to get as much interest in people registering,” Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Guyana, Elisabeth Harper told the Antigua Observer.
The Foreign Ministry and the International Office of Migration (IOM) are conducting the project recently launched in Antigua. It is aimed at documenting the skills of the diaspora to see how they can contribute to nation building.
Harper said that following the registration process, registrants will be contacted via email or otherwise regarding the areas in which their skills will be required.
The information obtained, she said, will act as an important indicator as to what skills and resources are available, which will serve as important factors guiding government policy.