Kathy Smith BIT’s 1st female chairperson

A new era of leadership has dawned at the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) as, for the first time in its history, a woman has been appointed to serve as Chairperson.
Kathy Smith has been appointed to lead the organisation for the 2026–2027 term. The newly inducted Board will serve for the period January 23, 2026, to January 22, 2027.
Following her appointment by the Cabinet of the Government of Guyana, Ms. Smith will serve as Chairperson of BIT, marking a historic milestone. She becomes the first woman to hold the position in the organisation’s 115-year history.
Smith is widely recognised as a prominent leader within the Guyanese business community and a strong advocate for private sector development and economic growth.
In 2025, Smith also made history when she became the first female President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) in its 136-year history. Her leadership experience and commitment to strengthening the relationship between industry and workforce development are expected to be invaluable to the work of the Board of Industrial Training.
Labour and Manpower Planning Minister, Keoma Griffith, has expressed confidence that the newly appointed Board will continue to strengthen the role of the Board of Industrial Training in advancing national workforce development and expanding opportunities for skills training across Guyana.
Under the leadership of the Chairperson and the newly appointed Board, BIT will continue to focus on strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), addressing skills gaps through stronger alignment with industry needs, and expanding partnerships with the private sector in support of Guyana’s growing economy.
The official members of the Board of Industrial Training (2026–2027) are Chairperson Kathy Smith; Vice-Chair, Ganesh Singh; members: John Edghill, Andrea Benjamin, Yannick Garraway, Sheila Verasammy, Karen Roopchand, Desa Liverpool, Penelope Harris, Michael Turner, Krishn Sharma, Suresh Singh; ex-officio members: Indrani Ramnarine, Jainarine Sarjoo, Sookpaul and Richard Maughn.