By: Marvin Cato |HGP Nightly News |
The Ministry of Public Works has launched an intensive refresher training programme for technical staff across all administrative regions to strengthen field performance and improve oversight of national infrastructure projects.
Lloyda Amsterdam, Manager of the Ministry’s Materials Laboratory, explained that the initiative reflects a deliberate move to ensure that staff beyond Georgetown receive the same level of professional development as those based in the capital.
“We have decided not to look at just the staff in Georgetown. We have extended this workshop, pulling persons from each of the regions,”
Amsterdam said, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to building a well-prepared and accountable technical workforce.
The training, which commenced three weeks ago and is held every Saturday, caters to Clerks of Work and Engineering Technicians from all ten administrative regions. Sessions cover foundational and advanced engineering practices, with a strong focus on documentation, measurement standards, and proper interpretation of construction drawings—key to ensuring quality project execution.
A major emphasis of the programme is ethics, particularly the importance of maintaining integrity while monitoring government contracts. One trainee noted that discussions around ethical behaviour were timely and necessary.
“A topic that was mentioned is ethics. As a manager, it was emphasized that we must maintain our integrity and not take bribes. No matter how the contractor may disguise it, it is a bribe—don’t collect it. Keep the integrity of yourself, the Ministry, and everyone around us,”
the participant said.
More than 100 technical staff members are expected to benefit from the training upon completion of the programme, strengthening the Ministry’s capacity to manage and supervise public works projects nationwide.
