A garment centre, equipped with 30 sewing machines that can work both with electricity and manually, was yesterday opened in the mining town of Mahdia, Region Eight and it is hoped that residents will now have the opportunity to learn a new life skill.
According to a release from the Department of Public Information (DPI) the first batch of 30 people commenced training yesterday and will undergo a strategically crafted programme, for the next two weeks.
It is envisioned that with the certificate training, residents from Mahdia and other surrounding communities will be able to purchase school uniforms right in their villages.
The release said Eslyn Hussein, an immediate beneficiary of the centre, expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to learn another skill which is needed in Mahdia.
“This programme is not about which political party you belong or support. It is about learning a new skill, so you can be financially independent. It is another way you can fight against poverty. You can even start your own small business with the new skills you learn. So don’t let anyone discourage you from this opportunity that the government is offering you,” the release quoted her as saying.
Meantime, Deputy Regional Executive Officer Shawn Britton noted that the government continues to fund transformative projects.
“Again, this government is not just about the big things but it also caters for the development of all of us individually, which together and collectively creates the big picture of development of this nation,” he said, according to the release.
“While gold mining, logging and other economic activities form parts of the economy, or the economics in this sub-region, imparting skills to young people and women is also important because we find that this is not one of the traditional areas that people focus on in these mining communities.”
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, who commissioned the facility, urged the participants to make use of the training.
“Our programme will be of benefit to you if you’re willing to use your training to extend it to build your lives and the lives and activities in your community. Our government continues to work to build a One Guyana with the purposeful slogan no one is left behind,” the minister said in the release.
According to the release in the past year and a half, 129 persons received certificates, having completed the garment construction programme.
Apart from this training, in the past 18 months, 200 drivers have been certified and licensed and 165 solar panel installation operators were certified across the hinterland, DPI said.
