Youth, Innovation, and Collaboration Take Centre Stage at GGI’s Second Stakeholder Forum

The Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI) hosted its second annual Stakeholder Forum at the Guyana Marriott Hotel on October 31, bringing together beneficiaries from all ten administrative regions for a day of reflection, dialogue, and collaboration on Guyana’s sustainable development journey.

This year’s forum centred on the theme “Youth in STEM: Transforming Guyana’s Technological Landscape, Building a Solid Future for Tomorrow.” Discussions explored how ongoing investments in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are empowering young people and shaping a more innovative, self-reliant nation.

A key feature of the event was a panel discussion featuring Deedra Moe, Global Manager, Socio-Economic Management, ExxonMobil,  Farah Jairam, Air Emissions Advisor, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited; Carlos Baird, Welding Instructor, Leonora Technical and Vocational Training Centre; Jayda Overton, Vice President, University of Guyana, Society of Petroleum Engineers; and Nalini Chanderban, Accountable and General Manager, Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School Inc.

The forum also featured a STEM Mingle session, which allowed students from secondary school, TVET institutions, and the University of Guyana to engage directly with industry experts in informal tabletop discussions. These sessions encouraged mentorship, knowledge sharing, and the exploration of real-world applications of STEM disciplines.

Building on the momentum of youth-driven innovation, the programme seamlessly transitioned to a broader theme, “Rooted in Community, Rising Together: Investing in Tomorrow’s Possibilities”, Under this theme, stakeholders reflected on their projects, assessed impact, and identified new opportunities for collaboration across sectors such as education, entrepreneurship, and community health.

Delivering the feature address, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Honourable Charles Ramson Jr., underscored the importance of corporate social responsibility, noting that Guyana is undergoing positive transformation, making partnerships like the one shared with the Greater Guyana Initiative essential.

From the corporate leadership perspective, Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, highlighted Guyana’s journey to prosperity and the role GGI continues to play in accelerating national development.

“It’s about accelerating the benefits, it’s about reaching out to people where they are, to the communities around the country, and listening to them,” he said. “What we are doing with the Greater Guyana Initiative is much more than the individual programmes. We are also building a culture that will be incredibly important for the sustainable prosperity of the country.”

Adding to this, Lian Jihong, President of CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, emphasised the long-term value of the partnership.

“GGI is an investment in the people, it is an investment in our future. It is building the skills, confidence and opportunities that will last for generations,” he said.

The initiative’s tangible impact was further illustrated by Lorna Carlson, Socio-Economic Manager at ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, who highlighted the recently launched FLOW Project. This initiative aims to provide clean drinking water to an estimated 58,000 students by 2029.

Annette Arjoon-Martins, Managing Director of the Guyana Marine Conservation Society and GGI implementing partner, expressed gratitude to GGI for its support to the work the society has undertaken with communities in the Barima-Mora Passage through the Sustainability Enablers Project and the Green Enterprise Support Project.

“Our GGI partnerships brought water-harvesting capacity to the Warrau communities there, provided solar lights, and supported our marine research centre located in Imbotero,” she noted.

The Greater Guyana Initiative is supported by the Stabroek Block co-venturers ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Hess Guyana Exploration Limited, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited. The initiative supports capacity-building programmes across Guyana over a ten-year period, focusing on education and training, economic development, and community health. Through these investments, GGI aims to strengthen the local workforce, enhance the competitiveness of Guyanese businesses, and lay the foundation for sustained economic growth.