Essequibo, Guyana – (August 13, 2022) Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), the Honourable Mark Phillips stated that Guyana would not be left behind in the global technological revolution.

At today’s graduation ceremony of the Essequibo leg of the ICT Summer Camp 2022, he disclosed that the Government intends to focus on the development of young Guyanese.

“The people of our country must be equipped with the skills in order to access the vast opportunities that the technological revolution continues to unfold. And what better place to start than with our young people; our bright and promising future generation, who will be responsible for the continued development of our country.”

He said that Guyana’s ICT sector is rapidly evolving and that the Government is always looking for innovative minds who will drive technological innovation and creativity toward developing the country.

“So I wish to thank the Industry and Innovation Unit for its commitment to building the capacity of our young people in ICT and the hard work they have put into hosting these camps.”

The five-day programme, which was held at the Cotton Field Secondary School, focused on training young adults in basic Information Communication Technology (ICT), coding, programming, website development, and cyber security.

Forty-four participants completed the programme.

The Prime Minister noted that the Industrial and Innovation Unit’s ICT Summer Camp 2022, which falls under the Office of the Prime Minister, will also be held in Berbice (from August 15-19 at the Albion Community Centre) and Demerara (from August 22-26 at the Dolphin Secondary School).

Prime Minister Phillips noted that in 2023, the programme would be extended to other parts of the country.

“We are excited about this initiative because these workshops create a foundation and provide young people with a glimpse of the opportunities that are available to them.”

The five-day ICT Camp is open to youths aged 13 to 18.

Regional Chairwoman, Mrs Vilma Da Silva and Director of the Industry and Innovation Unit within the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Shahrukh Hussain were among the attendees at the graduation ceremony.