The Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry is awaiting an audit of the progress report for its flagship youth programme, the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) following a request which was approved to conduct same.
One of the persons who benefited from the HEYS programme
The request was made following the release of the 2017 Auditor General’s Report, which pointed out that the Ministry had failed, on its part, to present progress reports during the auditing period which would have supported expenditure.
The AG’s report stated that the sum of $865.11 million was spent to pay stipends to 1900 youths for the period January to December of the year under review.
Monies were also spent for printing training documents, the launch of Phase II of the programme, to cover meals and accommodations as well as travelling for the execution of the training programme.
However, progress reports as well as financial reports for Cohort Two were prepared well in advance and available for scrutiny by the relevant personnel.
Cohort Two of the programme, according to reports available and submitted for review, began in July 2017 with the training of facilitators, while the training for youths followed in August, with some 1965 youth from 108 villages participating in the one-year programme.
Two hundred and eleven facilitators provided the necessary guidance for the youths over a six-month period. The programme was administered by a 19-member administrative staff component.
Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, who has direct responsibility for youths across the hinterland, expressed her disappointment with the report, but was confident closure would be brought to the matter.
Meanwhile, the last two years have seen tremendous accomplishments made by the nation’s Indigenous youth with approximately 3901 being empowered to embrace a better life.
Cohort Two of the programme alone would have seen 1302 successful businesses established, participants actively involved in youth business summits, and youths highlighting their achievements to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) with five successfully receiving $100,000 each for their marked success.
Among the major achievements was Malvany Laud of Silver Hill, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) becoming a supplier of cassava bread to Mattai’s Supermarket Ltd. Her first 100 packs of the product were delivered to the Supermarket in July 2018.
Several youths who successfully completed the programme have advanced to higher learning, while others have made themselves available to serve on their respective village councils.
Following a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis, the Strengths – transformed village economies, support from regional system, establishment of small businesses and promotion of entrepreneurship – and Opportunities – potential to improve livelihood, gather large pool of youth, poverty reduction, produce a new breed/brand of leaders and increase educational opportunities – by far outweighed Weaknesses and Threats.
One, therefore, can categorically conclude that the HEYS programme is achieving its objectives.
However, to ensure this is maintained, the co-coordinator, along with the monitors and workshop facilitators, have been visiting all 220 villages and communities that continue to benefit from the programme and providing the necessary business advice, management skills training, marketing guidelines as well as mentoring.
Notwithstanding several challenges, the devoted HEYS team led by a dynamic leader in Junior Williams and the entire Ministry, which is led by Ministers Sydney Allicock and Garrido-Lowe, are satisfied by the results based on evidence of significant economic and social progress.
Based on newly-acquired information, the HEYS programme is now more than ever in demand, with villages calling for a return of the programme. Minister Garrido-Lowe said discussions have already begun for a third cohort in 2020.
