Guyana advancing cause of Afro-Guyanese, says Minister Hamilton   

Guyana has made significant strides in advancing the cause of people of African descent and will continue to do so with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

This is according to Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, who delivered an address during the high-level session of the fourth sitting of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent on Monday.

The forum, hosted under the theme “Africa and People of African Descent: United for Reparatory Justice in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, is being held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 14 to 17 April.

“This session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent allows us to advance the cause of reparatory justice in the age of artificial intelligence, while at the same time sharing our experiences at the national level. The development of Afro-Guyanese and Guyanese as a whole, in our multi-ethnic nation, is a priority for my government. We have embarked on a transformative agenda which is rapidly changing the economic and physical infrastructure of the country. This is deliberately matched with initiatives that ensure greater inclusion and participation of all citizens in the goods, services and opportunities available, to reduce poverty, geographic disparity, ethnic insecurities and inequality,” Hamilton stated.

Focusing on the issue of social justice and how this approach has transformed the lives of Guyanese, including people of African descent, Hamilton said the GOAL programme has awarded thousands of scholarships over the last four years.

This, he noted, is aimed at creating a modern workforce, including facilitating access for residents of both rural and remote areas.

He highlighted other initiatives, including free education at the tertiary level, cash grants for students from nursery to secondary levels, and free technical and vocational training.

“Guyana is moving towards the increased use of AI, including through the establishment of a digital academy. In terms of the right to housing and shelter, Guyana’s massive national housing programme over the last four years has distributed over 40,000 house lots, benefiting 200,000 people. Notably, 43 per cent of the owners are women. No ethnic group is excluded. In addition, several subsidies are provided for low-income households, such as mortgage relief at low interest rates,” Hamilton added.

As efforts intensify, the minister said the government is cognisant of the potential of AI to significantly aid development, but stressed that the digital gap between developed and developing countries must be narrowed.

As such, he stated that Guyana will continue to advocate for reparatory justice, with AI as part of the conversation.