Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
National Budget 2014…Amerindian youths to receive ICT training
This year, a youth from every Amerindian village will receive tutorship as trainers in the area of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). They will be tasked with managing and training their peers and community members at established computer hubs.
This is according to Pauline Sukhai, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, during her Budget debates presentation in the National Assembly last week. She emphasized that Government has allocated $796M in the National Budget for the expansion of the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) and to provide the computer literacy training.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs
Pauline Sukhai,
Sukhai emphasized that this initiative will prepare hinterland youths in becoming computer literate as Guyana advances and embraces the “ICT information and knowledge age.”
“The 2014 Budget proposes $796M to expand this project to include the coastal Regions of Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 10. Young people stand to benefit with an engagement that will build and increase their capabilities and enhance their skills and competencies in related community development.”
Sukhai reflected that in June 2013, Government launched the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme to the tune of $200M. She noted that 886 young people of Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine were engaged in the programme.
The Minister noted that this investment has resulted in many villages benefitting in the areas of improved governance and administration of village affairs, maintenance of village assets, social services, revival of the arts and craft, and support for the development of sports and culture in the various Amerindian villages and communities.
In addition, Amerindian youths were trained in the management of solar panel systems and basic ICT computer hardware (installation of solar panels), she added.
The Minister related that during the Budget debates there were many comments from the Opposition benches about Government’s provision of opportunities for young people. One such comment was “a few scatter projects here and there.”
“For the Amerindian youths, the investment of $200M was more than welcome. More than 800 youths gladly came on board to serve their communities…And, if you read the comments from the Hinterland Highlights the Toshaos spoke highly of the young people contributions,” she said.
Sukhai said that in recent years Government’s intervention and support to Amerindian development continue to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of the more than 70,000 Amerindians countrywide.
“This is not to say that there is nothing more to address regarding Guyana’s Indigenous peoples, far from it; the transition of Amerindian village economies is an ongoing process;…the granting of lands continues to progress; the need for increased access to secondary education continues to be addressed; improving health care and water access is expanding and the empowering of Amerindian youth is exploding; the cultural integration is strengthening and Amerindian leaders are refining their governance and administrative skills and have well defined goals for a sustainable approach to village developmental agenda,” she said.
She congratulated her colleague Minister Dr. Ashni Singh and his dedicated team of planners and drafters of the Ministry of Finance for putting together the National Budget 2014, which she deems as pro poor.
“I wish to recognize that the $220B Budget offers allocation of funds for the economic and productive sector which will further stimulate growth and expansion of our economy and complement the progress established over the years under the PPP/C Government,” Sukhai said.
She said the Budget offers a practical set of measures that place much emphasis on meeting the needs of the people; including youths and Amerindians, and safety nets to support vulnerable groups, including pensioners and children.
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