Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is on track to become a hub for technical and vocational training in Guyana and the Caribbean, according to Dr. Ashni Singh, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance.
Speaking recently at the sod turning for a new Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Centre in Berbice, Dr. Singh said the investment is not just a step forward in workplace safety but also part of a broader transformation of the region’s training infrastructure.
“This facility…represents yet another installment in Region Six’s transformation to becoming the leading center of technical and vocational training in Guyana and in the Caribbean,” Dr. Singh declared.
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He cited the presence of institutions such as the Guyana Technical Training College, which doubles as the Tourism and Hospitality Institute, the Upper Corentyne Technical Training Institute, and the New Amsterdam Technical Institute, where the event was hosted. Saying: “All of these investments…are positioning Berbice to be the technical and vocational training capital of the Caribbean.”
Dr. Singh said the new OSH centre will play a key role in upskilling Guyanese to meet international standards, especially as more jobs are created through the country’s growing oil and gas sector. “You’re not going to get your foot into the door as a welder unless you have that certification and you have that training.”
He added that the centre represents “a quantum leap as it relates to occupational safety and health,” and is symbolic of the broader shift Guyana must make to remain competitive. “Gone are the days when we can operate with disregard to basic occupational safety and health standards and expect to do business in the modern world.”
Dr. Singh emphasized that such investments are taking on even greater importance given major industrial developments planned for Region Six. “You’re going to see the second gas pipeline being landed in Region Six…a major industrial development at the mouth of the Berbice River, including a deep-water harbour…[and] the completion of the transport link with Suriname.”
Dr. Singh also urged that the new facility be fully utilized: “Please make good use of the facility and ensure that it realizes the excellent objectives that it is seeking to achieve.”
Berbice will also have its own Shopping Mall. Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, also sees the Region being a hub for gas supporting infrastructure. There is also a plan for a transmission line for electricity sales from a potential second gas plant at the location.
