Upskill or be left behind – Public Service Minister tells Berbicians

Guyana’s newly established Public Service, Government Efficiency, and Implementation Ministry has outlined an ambitious programme to modernise public services and prepare citizens for the country’s rapidly evolving digital economy. Minister Zulfikar Ally, who has been in office for just one month, made this disclosure on Thursday during a Government outreach at State House in New Amsterdam. Ally urged Berbicians to take full advantage of the extensive, free educational and training opportunities now available through Government platforms, including the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), the University of Guyana (UG) and the Coursera online learning portal, which was launched nationwide in 2024.
“These are opportunities people all over the world are paying for. Imagine, it is free to you, and many of you are not aware of it. If you don’t take advantage of these opportunities, you are going to be left behind.” He disclosed that two weeks ago, the Government expanded Coursera to include a specialised platform for public servants aimed at preparing them for technological, administrative, and service-delivery reforms that will soon reshape Guyana’s workforce.

Digital age
Ally stressed that Guyanese must become more responsible users of social media and digital tools. He explained how platforms track users’ habits and deliver content based on what they stop and view, encouraging citizens to deliberately expose themselves to information that benefits their families, such as Government scholarship and training opportunities.
“You can choose to scroll and admire luxury cars on Facebook, or you can go to the Ministry’s page, stop for five seconds, and start receiving all the opportunities available for you, your children, and your grandchildren,” he told the gathering,
One of the biggest announcements was the Government’s aggressive push to digitise the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), a source of long-standing public frustration due to missing records, long lines, and poor customer experience.
The President, he said, has given his Ministry and the Ministry of Finance, eight months to complete the digitisation. “What this means is that you will wake up one morning, and instead of wondering if you need to leave home at six to catch a line, you will simply download the NIS app. You will check your contributions, apply for compliance, and access services without even turning over in your bed,” Minister Ally explained.
He emphasised that digitisation is not a campaign promise, but a mandate already being implemented.

Government services
Ally said the Government is also preparing to launch an appointment app that will allow citizens to book appointments at any Government agency, preventing wasted time and unnecessary travel. “We are making sure that throughout this region, Government service will come to you. You should not have to go to Georgetown or travel across New Amsterdam to access simple services.”
On the implementation side, he said the Ministry will ensure that citizens receive value for money from Government projects. A new national digital dashboard, already operational, will allow the President and sector Ministers to monitor construction and service-delivery activities across all regions in real time.
“If a contractor decides he is not going to work today, or an engineer says he has no time to visit a site, we will know; we are putting systems in place to hold every single person accountable.” Meanwhile, the Minister also reminded residents that major industrial development is coming to Berbice, which will bring thousands of new jobs requiring at least basic computer literacy and digital competency.
“There is a whole industrial zone coming. Even if you cook for a living, even if you run a small business, you must upskill yourself. These opportunities are free, take them… Our President is thinking about you day and night. He is putting systems in place to address every problem you face. Don’t be left behind. Go on the apps, go on the website, register, and start learning. Together, we are going to change the culture of our country,” Ally said.