“Fall in love with your country” – Trotman to youths
Twenty-six youths were on Monday urged by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman to fall in love with their country as they embark on the second annual Youth in Natural Resources Apprenticeship Programme which kicked off at the Pegasus Hotel on Battery Road, Kingston, Georgetown.
Minister Trotman is flanked by the excited participating youths and officials from the Ministry
“Essentially, it is my hope that you fall in love with your country. Those of us who live in Georgetown only believe that Guyana is about a narrow strip of land. Those of you who live in the hinterland know that the real beauty is not only the coast, but also the hinterland — the savannahs, the mountains, the waterways, the animals,” the minister said.
He also charged the apprentices to view the Natural Resources sector as a worthy endeavour, and pointed out that mining, forestry and oil industry are ‘healthy endeavours’.
Twenty-six apprentices will participate in this year’s programme as compared to 14 last year. The programme kicked off on Monday and will wind down on August 30.
A few participants from last year’s programme threw in a few words of advice for the new comers as they shared their experience.
“Pictures could only say so much, (they) could only tell so much; but when you’re there originally, when you’re there fully and you actually see what it is like, it is even more breath-taking and nice. We went on a boat trip through the river, and we had caimans like swimming right alongside us… This experience, I am sure in this Apprenticeship Programme 2018, you will learn a lot and gain a lot of experience, and see a lot of places that most Guyanese can only dream about,” Noel Sukhai shared.
The other participants of last year’s programme urged the new bunch to be bold and ask questions, so they can learn.
This year’s excited team expressed their gratitude to the Minister and the sponsors for facilitating such a programme, as they noted how excited they are for the experience ahead.
During this year’s Apprenticeship Programme, youths between the ages of 15 and 19 will get a first-hand glimpse of Guyana’s interior and other natural resources areas which will allow them to better choose a career among other benefits.
The participants were selected using a strict criterion after the interested persons had submitted their applications.
Several private sector entities have also sponsored the activity.
