Govt committed to business development in Region 6 – Tourism National Coordinator

…women agri, fisheries industries targeted for training programme- US Ambassador

The government is committed to business development in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
This is according to the National Coordinator at the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry, Tameca Sukhdeo-Singh.
Delivering an address on behalf of Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond at the launch of a training programme for female entrepreneurs – Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) – on Saturday, the tourism coordinator said the programme which is being funded by the US Embassy in Guyana is complementary to the government’s policy for promoting entrepreneurship outside of the capital city and building sustainable communities.
Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) will run from February to May 2023.
According to Sukhdeo-Singh, the government identified Region Six as the hub for the National Training Institute at Port Mourant where we will also house the tourism and hospitality training institute.
“Guyana is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and this is an opportune time for an initiative as this to assist in developing and empowering our local entrepreneurs especially to strengthen and equip our vulnerable groups to become resilient in the face of encouraging challenges and to turn those challenges into opportunity,” she pointed out.
The programme will initially benefit the first batch of thirty who were chosen from a list of 150 applicants.
“Programmes of that nature spread across communities in Guyana are geared towards the power women and assisting them to become independent. This program since that guide you in establishing your business giving you the necessary tools such as product development, marketing, branding, business plan development, food safety, and financial accountability which are all necessities for an entrepreneur like yourselves,” Sukhdeo-Singh added.
She noted that the government is there to lend support and to provide and enabling environment for entrepreneurs.
“Through our food security policies, there are various agricultural projects in Regions Six as well as a spectrum of tourism opportunities to grow and develop. As part of our Ministry’s commitments to business development in Region Six our Belvedere Business Incubator Center was operationalised and permission last year as a Belvedere Industrial Site.”

Empower female entrepreneurs
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah Ann Lynch said it is an important initiative to empower female entrepreneurs, noting that it is in keeping with the US’s mandate in providing support and resources to aid in the economic development of women across the globe.
“Given the overwhelming success of the programme in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and additional interest in developing entrepreneurs’ skills of women. The programme has been expanded to Berbice.”
She pointed out that it targets women from varying backgrounds especially agriculture and fishery industries.
Supporting partner of the initiative, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Representative/Caricom Laison of IICA Wilmot Garnett said he is pleased to be partnering with the stakeholders while noting IICA will work with you(participants) over the next few months to promote capacity building in various areas.
Founder of WeLead, Abbigale Loncke-Wilson explained that her experience at the Young Leaders of the Americas she was inspired her to return to the country to share her knowledge.
She launched the first training programme in May 2021, in her hometown of Region Two, where twenty-five women were trained.
According to Loncke-Wilson, all participants have new packaging with labels and barcodes, business cards, fliers and helping them with their social media page/ websites. Further, their products and services will be on display at a grand fair displaying Guyanese and Surinamese products which is expected to be held in Georgetown. (G4)