17
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 9, 2019
First Lady opens one-month ICT workshop for Mahdia residents FIRST Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, on Monday morning, opened an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) workshop for 30 residents of Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight). During a simple ceremony held in the Regional Boardroom, the First Lady underscored the importance of technology to youth and community development, especially in providing greater access to employment. She also emphasised that it is important that the hinterland is not left behind in this modern age of technology. “We think of the young people, who are going to be the ones who will be leading this country, and who need the skills of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to be able to survive and thrive in the 21st Century, and Mahdia, like many of our hinterland areas, must not be left behind,” Mrs. Granger said. The First Lady added that her focus on ICT is to ensure that young people in Guyana do not just become consumers in a technologically-driven world, but can also “write programs and develop software”. She encouraged the participants to consider the types of businesses that they can establish with the knowledge that they will acquire. “Think about the possibilities and where you can create your niches. You can do it by yourself or you can do it with a group of friends
First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger (seated centre), and from right to left, Regional Executive Officer, Ms. Mitzy Campbell; Vice-Chairman of the Board of Industrial Training, Mr. Donald Ainsworth; Mayor of Mahdia, His Worship, David Adams; Regional Chairman, Mr. Bonaventure Fredericks; Facilitator of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) workshop, Mr. Fitzroy Younge and Confidential Secretary to the First Lady, Lieutenant Colonel Yvonne Smith with participants of the workshop
First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger listens to a group of students from the Mahdia Primary and Secondary Schools as they welcomed her with a medley of national songs
you trust,” the First lady advised. Vice-Chairman of the Board of Industrial Training, Mr. Donald Ainsworth;
Mayor of Mahdia, His Worship, David Adams; Regional Executive Officer, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight),
First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, being escorted into the Regional Boardroom, Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight) by a student of the Mahdia Secondary School. Also pictured are students from the Mahdia Primary and Secondary Schools who greeted Mrs. Granger as she walked by
Ms. Mitzy Campbell and Regional Chairman, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight), Mr. Bonaventure Fredericks,
also attended the workshop. The Regional officials expressed gratitude to the First Lady for the workshop which
will be held in the Regional Boardroom from October 7 to November 1, 2019. (Ministry of the Presidency)
NTC pushes for the formation of District Councils THE National Toshaos Council (NTC) has been working along with several hinterland communities to establish fully functioning District Councils in all of the areas catered for in the Amerindian Act of 2006. Currently, there are six functioning district councils which include the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC), North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), North Pakaraimas District Council, Upper Mazaruni District Council, Moruca District Council and the Region 10 District Council. However, the SRDC is the only legally gazetted
council in the history Guyana. During a presentation of the National Toshaos Council’s 2018/2019 work programme at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday, Chairman of the NTC, Nicholas Fredericks, explained that over the past year, the NTC has been advocating for District Councils to function as they should. He noted that these councils can play a leading role in the development of their respective districts. The NTC chairman, therefore, urged the village leaders to endorse the formation of these very im-
Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Nicholas Fredericks
portant bodies. “For those communities who are not in support of the district council
movements, I would now encourage you to ensure that you are unifying yourself to form these district councils. It is a very important body, a legal body according to the Amerindian Act and is one that allows you to make collective representation instead of just one man fighting for himself,” Fredericks told the over 212 Toshaos gathered in Georgetown for the 13th NTC conference. He said, once the NTC receives all the letters from the village councils supporting the establishment of District Councils, the NTC will draft a concept letter to be sent to the Ministry of
Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs for gazetting. According to the Amerindian Act of 2006, the Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs may, by order establish a District Council, if at least three Village Councils, make such a request in writing to the minister. Each Village Council has to obtain the approval of its village general meeting. A District Council comprises the Toshao and one Councillor from each Village in the District and may elect a Chairman, a secretary and a treasurer. The functions of a District Council are; to co-
ordinate the activities of the Village Councils in the District; to work for consistency in the rules made by the Village Councils as far as is reasonable; to give advice to the Village Councils and villages on issues of common interest; to plan and develop programmes for the District on environmental protection and management, healthcare, education, transportation, culture, and economic development; and to provide technical advice and assistance to the constituent village. (DPI)