Public Service Minister outlines digital push to upskill public servants

– highlights former Govt’s failed “digital nation” promise

Delivering his presentation on day three of the 2026 Budget Debate before the National Assembly at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Zulfikar Ally on Wednesday highlighted the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s investments in digital infrastructure and training, including partnerships to upskill public servants through online platforms, while he sharply criticised the former APNU/AFC Government’s failed “digital nation” manifesto promise, saying instead, after five years, nothing was accomplished.

“The APNU/AFC Government spoke of building a bold digital nation in their 2015 manifesto. But after five years in Government, they accomplished nothing. They did not decentralise the Government, and they did not simplify access. They did not leverage technology in any meaningful ways,” Ally noted.
“Let me tell you what the PPP/C Administration has done within the last five years. We recognise that the wave of digital transformation is no longer optional. It is essential. That is why over the last five years, we have embraced, as a Government, the digitisation and modernisation of Government services. This ministry now stands at the centre of the Government’s transformation agenda. My ministry’s role is to ensure that every programme announced, every dollar allocated, and every promise made is translated into faster services, better systems, and real benefits for the citizens across all ten regions of Guyana.”
“Within the public service itself, Mr Speaker, over 1100 public servants are currently engaged in online training programmes,” he added, noting that the Government has partnered with Coursera to provide structured online training for public servants and to support the training of nurses and nursing assistants, particularly in hinterland areas.
He further outlined a suite of new and upcoming digital platforms aimed at improving citizen access to Government services, including the “My Guyana” citizen portal, “Gov Connect”, Citizen Connect, and Skills Connect.
Among the most anticipated initiatives, Ally said, is an artificial intelligence (AI)–powered platform designed to simplify public interaction with the Government.
“The Ask Gov platform and AI-powered chatbot will simplify the way citizens interact with Government services,” he said. “It is a 24/7 virtual assistant, designed to answer Government-related questions and help citizens access services anytime, anywhere.” Ally noted.
He noted that the platform is currently in development and is expected to be launched by the end of the third quarter of 2026.
Ally said these initiatives, combined with the rollout of a national electronic identification system, demonstrate the Government’s commitment to building a modern, efficient, and citizen-centred public service.
According to the Minister, the expansion of his ministry’s mandate to include Government efficiency and implementation reflects the Administration’s focus on execution, accountability, and service delivery.
“Our Government aims to modernise the public service through rigorous digitisation and institutionalised monitoring and evaluation across all areas of Government,” Ally told the House.
He said the Government has embraced large-scale digitisation over the past five years, pointing to initiatives such as the national electronic health record system, the Guyana Digital School, the education management information system, e-gates at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, an e-passport issuance system, an e-litigation platform for the High Court, and a single-window system at the Central Housing and Planning Authority.
“A Government that manages billions can no longer rely on paper files and disconnected systems,” he said.
“We are deliberately positioning Guyana as a modern state, equipped with digital systems, stronger institutional capacity and service standards required in a rapidly evolving global environment.”

Public Service Institution
The Minister also focused on the Bertram Collins College, which was established in 2016 under the APNU/AFC Government, and said that it failed to meaningfully strengthen the public service.
He described the institution as an ineffective and politically driven institution while outlining what he said are sweeping efforts by the current PPP/C Administration to modernise and upskill Guyana’s public service through technology and digitisation.
“The Bertram Collins College of the Public Service, which APNU claimed as a vehicle for the strengthening of the public service, was nothing more than an unaccredited, militaristic piece of political machinery that duplicated and superseded existing programmes already offered by my ministry’s training division,” Ally said.
He added that “a Government that is proud of such an investment knows little about efficient management of resources.”
Ally contrasted the former institution with what he described as a deliberate and sustained effort by the PPP/C Government to modernise public service delivery and equip public servants with relevant skills.
“This Government is not managing the present. We are building the future,” he said.
He concluded that while the Opposition has criticised the budget, it has failed to offer credible alternatives for public service reform.
“This is what forward-thinking leadership looks like. Not simply reacting to challenges, but preparing our country for the demands of tomorrow,” Ally said.