NEW AMSTERDAM, Berbice — September 14, 2026
Guyana has officially commissioned its new occupational safety and health centre of excellence at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute in Region Six, one year after the turning of the soil for the project. The commissioning was held last Friday, bringing together government officials and stakeholders involved in technical and vocational education and workplace safety.
The state-of-the-art facility was established through a partnership involving the Greater Guyana Initiative, the Ministry of Education, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and Sir Lauren Corp International.
The centre will host the CVQ level three programme in occupational safety and health, offering training opportunities for Guyanese and persons from across the Caribbean.
Minister of Education, Honourable Sonia Parag, said the facility forms part of a broader vision for technical and vocational education and training, as Guyana continues to invest in skills development to meet the needs of its changing economy.
Officials said the need for properly trained workers and stronger workplace safety practices is becoming increasingly important as new industries and technologies emerge in the country.
The Minister of Labour stressed that workplace safety is a shared responsibility. Business owners must provide the necessary safety equipment and establish proper safety programmes, while suppliers and workers also have a role to play in maintaining safety standards.
More than 3,000 occupational health and safety inspections have reportedly been conducted, surpassing an initial target of 2,000. The Ministry of Labour has also expanded its inspection capacity to include offshore operations, particularly as Guyana's oil and gas sector continues to develop.
Officials described the CVQ level three qualification in occupational safety and health as a major development, noting that the centre is the first of its kind in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. At the commissioning ceremony, officials said occupational health and safety must become more than a workplace requirement, and should instead form part of the culture and mindset of every worker.
The new centre is expected to produce qualified professionals and champions of workplace safety who can contribute to safer working environments in Guyana and across the region, as officials say protecting the country's workforce must remain a priority as the economy continues to grow.
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By LRTVS NewsWatch · Channel 10. This report first aired on LRTVS NewsWatch.
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