By Daniel DaCosta
Stabroek News
July 23, 2001

Minister of Agriculture, Navin Chandarpal has expressed the view that science and technology should be developed in a more comprehensive manner and more effectively applied to the country's needs.

He was at the time addressing a gathering at the fortieth graduation exercise of the Guyana Sugar Corporation's (GUYSUCO) Training Centre at Port Mourant, Corentyne. Fifty-one male and female technicians successfully completed the four-year training programme run by the centre recording a 94 per cent distinction pass rate.

Government, he said, intends to expand technical education countrywide and has established a technical institute at Essequibo and plans to build two others at Corriverton and Linden "to produce a larger body of skilled persons. According to Chandarpal, the graduates were entering the industry at a time when the challenge facing the country and in particular the sugar industry was the need to reduce production costs and at a higher quality.

Earlier, the centre's Manager David Banks had alluded to the low intake level to date of 37 apprentices for the new academic year, which began in August 2000. "This reflects the continuing difficulties we face in finding suitably qualified candidates," he said.

Referring to the problem, Chandarpal said a comprehensive approach was needed at primary and secondary schools where subjects needed for entrance to the Centre could be introduced. "This centre can be rated as the number one training centre at this level of technical education and this is reflected in the performance of graduates when they move on into the job market." Noting that the country needed skills similar to those acquired by the graduates, the minister called on companies to take advantage of the facilities offered by the centre to train their employees.

Chief Executive Brian Webb in brief remarks said the management was happy with the high standards of excellence now being achieved by the institution and congratulated the manager and staff for their dedication and hard work. Chairman of the Board, Vic Oditt, noted that the graduates were entering the industry at a crucial time, when the corporation was working on developing new markets in Brazil and to some extent Venezuela.

The prestigious Watson Memorial Award was presented to apprentice Outar Ramhit while the valediction was done by Maheshwar Ramhit of the East Berbice Estate. The graduates were drawn from Skeldon, East Berbice, Blairmont, the East and West Demerara estates and the Berbice Mining Enterprise (Bermine). They graduated as electricians, fitter machinists, instrument repair mechanics, agricultural mechanics and auto electricians. Several prizes were awarded to apprentices by senior executives of the corporation and Chandarpal for outstanding performances in various fields.