Business owners affected by ongoing infrastructural works benefit from training

Several business owners whose businesses are being affected by ongoing infrastructural works under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP) in Sophia, Greater Georgetown are benefiting from capacity-building training to assist them during this challenging period.

The two-day training comes just after the businesses benefited from income allowances through the AHUAP-Livelihood Restoration Plan.
Each allowance was based on the recorded income for the various business during the affected period.
To be eligible, the business owners had to be operating business on a residential/ commercial lot, and have legal rights to the land. The operating businesses fall within the following areas: Block ‘X’ Liliendaal; Section ‘B’ Pattensen; Sections ‘C’ and ‘D’ Turkeyen; and Section ‘C’ Cummings Lodge.

At the launching of the training session on Wednesday, it was explained that this is the second batch of business owners to be trained. The first batch was trained in March.
A similar exercise was also held in March for seventeen (17) persons affected under Phase One of the programme.
The current batch will be trained in financial management, record-keeping, entrepreneurial awareness, small business development, business regularisation, and cash advisory.
Meanwhile, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, who was present at the training session, said the training will be a great help to the business owners.
“This will enhance the knowledge you have, and bring development to yourself and your community,” Minister Croal told participants as he urged them to make the best of the opportunity.
He also stated that small businesses are important for the country’s economic growth and job creation. Speaking about the development of Sophia, he noted that the Government is committed to working with the community to ensure its development.
AHUAP is an Inter-American Development Bank-funded project being implemented through CHPA to improve the quality of life for Guyanese in urban and peri-urban Georgetown by providing access to affordable housing and basic infrastructure for low-income populations.
The capacity-building training falls under the Livelihood Restoration Plan of AHUAP, which is designed to ensure that all project-affected persons (PAPs) who are economically displaced by the programme’s activities have their socio-economic conditions re-established or improved.