Dear Editor,
SN’s Business Editorial of November 11, is a somewhat constricted submission on the historicity of Vocational Education and Training since British Guiana, which in fact began at: i) the Canadian-owned Demerara Bauxite Company (up the River); followed by ii) Bookers Sugar Estates, on the coastland, initially a five year programme certified by City & Guilds of London, England.
A significant proportion of its graduates was then sent for further training overseas – to be prepared on their return, not only to manage sugar’s technology in agriculture and engineering, but critically also those tradesmen who would have progressed more slowly to senior positions on the basis of effective performance.
Incidentally, both males and females were accommodated on the commodious compound, supervised respectively by Warden and Housemother.
The School (now Centre) earned such respect that it became the focus of regular visits by regional and international interest groups.
With growing delivery success the various skills programmes were reduced to four year periods, indeed not only for the industry’s trainees, but also those other organisations.
In more recent years the Port Mourant Training Centre has diversified its programmes to satisfy various skills needs of external trainees in the following:
National Training Project for Youth Empowerment
Technical Skills Training for the GDF
Apprenticeship Program-me for Banks DIH
Instrumentation Training Programme for DDL
According to recent press reports the Centre is identified for substantial reorganisation in order to cope with upgraded deliverables for the Oil & Gas Sector.
Meanwhile interested parties can enquire when it is convenient for them to visit the most historic technical education provider in Guyana and the Caribbean, which reminds that the Editorial made no reference to the now prominent CTVET programmes managed in Guyana and across CARICOM countries.
Yours faithfully,
E.B. John
