A $200M entrepreneurship programme was on Saturday launched for youths in Region One (Barima/Waini) by the government.A release yesterday from the Government Information Agency said that the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ Youth Apprenticeship and Entrepreneur programme was officially launched on Friday in Santa Rosa, Moruca, Region One by the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai.
The $200M programme will target over 160 youths between the ages of 18-40 from the Mabaruma, Moruca and Matarkai Sub-Districts. GINA said that they will be engaged in training in a number of areas including governance, health, education, sports and culture and infrastructure.
Sukhai told the youth that the Community Service Officers (CSO) will be attached to areas of interest they wish to develop. GINA said it is anticipated that at the end of the six-month attachment the participants would have enough skills to set up their own business, secure a job or enroll for higher education.
The students will be attached to health, education, sports/culture, governance and infrastructure agencies in their respective Regions. For Region One, health and education scored the highest statistics in terms of interest. They will also be receiving a $30,000 stipend, GINA said.
Minister Sukhai said that it is hoped that a new culture of volunteerism, support and solidarity will emerge from this initiative.
Permanent Secretary Nigel Dharamlall said that the programme is a way of transformation, mainstreaming and integrating youths into the developmental process. This, the PS stated is an approach that best describes a democracy.
