Block-making factory creating jobs in Blue Berry Hill

– sewing factory to become operable in coming weeks

THE unemployment rate in Blue Berry Hill, Wismar, Linden and surrounding communities, is expected to be significantly reduced with the establishment of a Block-making factory in the area.
While the factory is already in operation, and training for the first batch of those to benefit has been completed, a sewing factory is also underway. Final touches to the building, to make it operable, are expected to be completed in about two weeks. This is according to Community Development Officer, Bernita Primo.

Primo said she is pleased that the project has come to fruition, paving the way for the creation of jobs for all ages. While the project initially targeted young people, she related that middle-aged men also expressed interest and were not turned away.
The project was funded by the Ministry of Social Protection, through the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED). Already, 10 persons have been trained. Currently, they are utilizing the facility and its equipment free of cost to produce blocks for small contracts.

Systems are being put in place for these persons to serve as the local content needed for jobs through the Community Development Council (CDC0 and Regional Development Council (RDC).

“I am really happy this is a success, particularly in the Blue Berry Hill area, where we particularly had nothing to create jobs; well now we have the community centre also and in two weeks time our sewing factory is expected to be up and running. All are invited, not only residents of Blue Berry Hill, but Linden and Region 10,” Primo said.

Blue Berry Hill Constituency Representative, Councillor Fern McKoy, who, over the years, has been playing an integral role in community development, applauded the initiative.
“It is a good gesture, a good initiative to create employment for some of the residents both in Blue Berry Hill and neighbouring communities, which will offset the unemployment rate in Linden. We are hoping for much more like this in Region 10 and Guyana as a whole,” McKoy said. According to her, the sewing project will cater for a different demographic.
McKoy has been meeting with young people on a monthly basis, encouraging them to participate in the projects.

“At least it is something to start them off and eventually they can branch off to what they have in mind and what they want to do, but for now, they can utilize the services and earn money from it,” she said.

These two projects are the latest job-creation initiatives rolled out by the APNU-AFC Government, in an effort to target the high unemployment rate in Linden. Only two weeks ago, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications and M&P Investments Incorporated signed a $116M contract for the renovation of the Kara Kara Call Centre. This will initially provide jobs for 150 Lindeners but the long-term goal is to provide 300 jobs in the mining town. This project is expected to be completed by April 2020.

In August 2019, the Ministry of Public Health provided jobs for 54 Linden youths, through the Patient Care Assistance Programme. They are now employed at various health institutions in the region. This employment was made possible after a six-month free training programme.

In addition, scores of Region 10 youths have benefitted from government-sponsored training such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), SCIENCE, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS), Agro processing, apiculture and tourism among other areas. These youths have used the skills garnered to become employable or to create employment.