In an effort to improve communication with the citizens of Guyana and to effectively inform them, 10 staff members of the Government Analyst – Food and Drug Department (GAFDD) are undergoing a 4-day training programme in collaboration with the Centre for Communication Studies department of the University of Guyana.
The programme, which opened yesterday morning at the Cara Lodge, will equip GAFDD staff with the technical skills necessary
for dissemination of information. The training programme will focus on a number of areas including news writing, interviewing, and audio-visual production.
According to Marlan Cole, Director of the Food and Drug Department, the programme was conceptualised when the need for the sharing of key information from the GAFDD with the general public became apparent. According to Cole, this information is necessary for the protection of citizens and enables them to make informed decisions.
According to Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Trevor Thomas, inspectors are often the targets of non-acceptance and therefore have the responsibility to equip themselves with the tools to not only properly document their own reports but also communicate with clients to show that they are aiding, and not impeding, business.
Thomas also pointed out that we are living in a technologically advanced society and should therefore make use of the available technology to revolutionise the way things are done.
“Globalisation has made it even more important that whatever we do is communicated in a way that allows for persons who have to benefit from that communication, [to]… benefit from it,” he said
In his address, Vice Chancellor of UG, Jacob Opadeyi, congratulated both GAFDD and UG and urged the trainees to use the knowledge gained from the workshop to accurately inform the people of Guyana.
The workshop, which is supported by the Ministry of Health and the University of Guyana, will conclude on Friday and will see the distribution of certificates to the participants.
