Embrace renewable energy, technology – PM Mottley urges Guyanese Private Sector

Prime Minister (PM) of Barbados Mia Mottley has urged the Guyanese private sector to transition to renewable energy in order to cut costs of their businesses and to adopt technologies to enhance their operations.
The Barbadian leader made these calls while delivering remarks virtually at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) 136th Annual Awards Presentation and Gala Dinner held on Thursday evening at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown.

“My friends, seize the opportunities of the renewable energy transition to lower our costs, and embrace generally technology… To boost that productivity which would be anchored by the cultural changes but also with innovation through new systems and new laws and new opportunities,” PM Mottley stated during her presentation.
Recognising the private sector as the engine of sustainable growth in any economy, the Prime Minister of Barbados reminded the GCCI membership as well as the wider Guyanese business community that security is the bedrock of socioeconomic development. This includes regional peace and stability as well as climate security.
She also used the opportunity to highlight the importance of human capital to the economic success of both a business and a nation. Identifying the skills gap in the region, PM Mottley sounded calls for the collective modernisation of the education systems truly to prepare children for this new world.
“We must use our digital tools to connect our people to the new economy, while not disavowing the absolute essential need for us to anchor our children with values and attitudes that will carry them through their entire life,” she asserted.
Against that backdrop, she commended President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Government for the recent launch of the Guyana Digital School, which also gives an opportunity to all Caribbean children to be able to learn.
“The reality is that if we do not upskill our workforce, we cannot sustain our growth, and even a simple reliance on the promise of AI (artificial intelligence) will be insufficient if we do not educate our children to be good and strong and caring citizens, innovative and resilient,” she argued.

Digital School
On December 5, President Ali launched the Guyana Digital School that promises to transform education and equip students with the skills needed for the 21st century. With the aim of combining regional integration and digital transformation, students from across the Caribbean can now learn together in the same virtual classroom, sharing knowledge, experiences, and opportunities that transcend borders.
In fact, over 20,000 students from Guyana and the Caribbean have already registered for the Guyana Digital School, which will be employing a four-quadrant approach to learning – integrating technology, content, engagement, and hands-on experiences.
According to the Guyanese Head of State, the digital school is more than just an online platform; it is a gateway to digital learning and an enabler of essential skills for students, particularly those who face challenges accessing traditional schooling.
“Importantly, the digital school will have a comprehensive digital library with all the textbooks our students require for CSEC and other examinations. Children across CARICOM, as well as in Guyana, will now have access to these resources… No student will be left behind due to lack of textbooks. Every investment we make is designed with our CARICOM brothers and sisters in mind because we are one,” President Ali declared at the launch on Friday last.
Already, local private sector bodies, including the umbrella Private Sector Commission (PSC) in Guyana and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), have lauded this initiative and thrown their support behind the Digital School, which they said is a transformative step toward national digital literacy, educational equity, and future-ready skills.

Fostering regional growth, collaboration
PM Mottley, during her remarks at the GCCI event on Thursday evening, recognised Guyana’s story as one of tremendous foresight, resilience and potential – something which regional partners are not just observing but are invested in.
To this end, she encouraged Guyanese businesses and innovators to continue fostering regional growth and collaboration.
“I challenge you tonight to move beyond simply requesting Government action and also move to a position now where you can lead in designing our new economy in partnership. In partnership with our labour unions, in partnership with our Governments, in partnership with us at the regional level to drive the CARICOM Single Market and Economy so that we can leverage our collective scale for all of us, with the exception of Haiti in the community, are in fact facing the problem of underpopulation, aging and declining populations.”
“I ask you also to recognise the most important factor in embracing changes in productivity is seeing people and hearing people and feeling people. Workers are an essential part of your equation, as important as Government policy, as important as the oxygen of finance. Let us ensure that you build those partnerships and that the cultural difficulties that would have precluded you from seeing your workers as critical to the embracing of productivity can be put behind us,” the Prime Minister of Barbados stated.