The Guyana Government and recipients of the Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation (ITEC) scholarships were loud in their praise of the benefits that have accrued under the programme.
Indian High Commissioner Venkatachalam Mahalingam at a ceremony last week held at the Aagman Restaurant to mark the 51st anniversary of the programme said the programme is open to 161 countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the Pacific and Small Islands.
Twenty-five slots were allotted to Guyana for the 2012/13 period covering programmes such as management of non-profit organisations, advanced fingerprint science, and auditing and parliamentary internship, a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
Mahalingam also noted that other forms of co-operation undertaken under the ITEC programme include education, provision of equipment and of ITEC experts, the latter in fields such as Meteorology, Transmission and Broadcasting, Legal, Disaster Management, Coconut, Spices and Institutional Development. He called for more nominations for accessing the scholarships offered, and pointed out the individuals who have benefited thus far have mastered their studies and are today serving their various countries well.
In his address, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, expressed government’s gratitude for the programme and support it has received from the Government of India. He lauded the bilateral relationship between the two countries, noting that India has assisted Guyana in many forms and in various areas. “The ITEC experts have contributed significantly to Guyana’s agricultural diversification, while ITEC scholarships recipients have contributed to the improvement in the socio and economic development of the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Service Dr Jennifer Westford reported that the results from this programme have been overwhelming. She said her ministry which administers the programme locally, has started a process of monitoring and evaluation of beneficiaries to determine their level of contribution to Guyana and the results have been encouraging. ITEC alumni Alicia Wickham expressed gratitude to both governments for what she called a life changing experience. She said that the training she received via the initiative has enabled her to better serve her organisation, the Guyana Audit Office, as the wider country. Similar sentiments were voiced by Derrick Cummings, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism. He too thanked the governments and noted that the experience has allowed him to empower himself and ascend to a higher office.
According to GINA, the initiative was launched in September 1964 by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru as a bilateral programme, whereby developing countries are given the opportunity to visit India and benefit from the various empowerment programmes offered.
