The significant investment of $500 million allocated to the Ministry of Labour in the 2024 budget, signals a commitment to enhancing skills training initiatives in Guyana.
Minister Joseph Hamilton expressed his enthusiasm for the budgetary allocation, stating, “The ministry will work with the disability commission to ensure that we can have disabled persons across the country exposed to training that we do and to ensure that we can make them employable and to see how we can help them to get employment.”
The Ministry of Labour aims to collaborate with the disability commission to tailor training programs to the needs of individuals with disabilities, with the ultimate goal of making them more employable and facilitating their integration into the workforce.
Minister Hamilton emphasized that the ministry’s initiatives would be complemented by the construction of new training facilities.
He mentioned an ongoing project in New Amsterdam, constructed to meet the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) standard. The TVET council will evaluate the facility to ensure it aligns with the certification requirements.
Minister Hamilton explained, “To qualify for the CVQ certification, it starts with the facility.”
CVQ, or Caribbean Vocational Qualification, is a CARICOM approved award that signifies the achievement of a set of competencies defining core work practices in an occupational area, consistent with levels specified in the regional qualifications framework.
The substantial budget allocation reflects the government’s commitment to fostering skill development, employment, and entrepreneurship, particularly benefiting vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities.