174 hinterland youths to benefit from computer literacy training

A total of 174 young people in several villages in the interior are expected to be trained in computer literacy.
This was according to Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai during an engagement with residents of Karasabai, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
The Minister told the residents that provisions were made for training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the 2021 National Budget, which will increase the skillset of hinterland youth.
“We expect to train another 174 young CSOs [Community Support Officers] under the same programme so that students or these CSOs who would be trained in computer literacy will be able to take on the task in the villages when the Government roll out the ICT programme in 200 communities in the next two years,” the Minister stated.

She added that the Government intended to expand the CSO programme to 2000 youths who will in the interim, work through the Village Councils.
“That is the objective of engaging out-of-school youths and unemployed youths so that in the interim where they are looking for experience, they would be meaningfully engaged in their community and the Government will provide a stipend for them,” she said.
The Minister explained that the CSOs, working through the hinterland’s ICT programme, would see Amerindian villages becoming computer literate over two years. Since the CSO programme was reintroduced, 50 CSOs across 50 communities have been trained.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has been working to resuscitate the ICT programme since taking office.
The Project Management Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister will execute the programme through the ICT Access and eServices for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities project.
Some 200 hinterland and riverine communities stand to benefit from the reintroduction of the programme, which was altered significantly by the coalition Government.
Thus far, a US$10 million line of credit has been secured to recommence the provision of the ‘solar farms per household’ project which will precede the establishment of ICT hubs.
The CSO initiative was launched in 2014 under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme. Its reintroduction will replace the former Administration’s Hinterland Employment and Youth Service programme, which failed to meet its objectives.