The Ogle, East Coast Demerara headquarters of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is among the possible sites for the establishment of the Public Service Staff College.
This was revealed by the Ministry of the Presidency last Friday, when President David Granger, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder toured the facility.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry, GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer Errol Hanoman said that there are plans to move the company’s operations and the premises will be vacant. He noted that the building and other facilities at the location have the potential to be developed and used as a training complex.
Speaking during his visit, President Granger reminded that upon his assumption to office he had made it clear that the future of Guyana depends on an efficient and reliable public service, which would require training in key areas.
“I have no interest in having an unprofessional Public Service… I also said that I did not just want an efficient public service but an ‘unbribable’ public service; professional people, people who can do their trade and people who are prepared to do their jobs without fear or favour,” he was quoted as saying.
Granger announced that the college is expected to have four faculties: International Relations (Foreign Service), Defence, Public Administration and Information Technology.
It is expected to provide university-level diploma qualifications and the President expects that with this training, within the next four to five years, the level of professionalism in the public service will be much higher than it is today, the ministry reported. “I don’t want people walking off the street to become public servants because in the Public service, the Foreign Service, every branch of government, I expect professionals and part of professionalism is knowledge. You can’t be a professional unless you know what you are doing and to gain that knowledge you need to be trained,” President Granger said.
