Her Excellency First Lady Arya Ali yesterday secured a landmark partnership with Guyana’s major utility and service providers to expand employment opportunities and improve access to essential services for persons with disabilities through the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation.
The announcement was made during a simple but significant ceremony at the Centre which was launched in June of this year at Palmyra, Region six.
The Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), ENet, One Communications, MMG, MoneyGram, and Western Union have all begun establishing service kiosks inside the Center, and will begin offering a full suite of services to residents of Region six by January 2026.
In addition to the 90 persons who are already employed at the facility, the seven companies have committed to hiring at least one person with a disability to manage their kiosk.
This commitment by the companies brings to fruition sustained lobbying by the First Lady over the past four years for the private sector to play a more meaningful role in providing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Specifically, Mrs Ali’s InclusAbility Initiative has amplified the need for greater levels of inclusion of persons with disabilities.
“For years, we have been urging corporate Guyana to make inclusion a lived reality. This partnership shows what is possible when we work together for the good of all our people. The Centre was created to empower persons with disabilities and today’s collaboration with these seven companies brings us even closer to that vision,” the First Lady shared during the ceremony.
Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament (MP) for Region Six, Dr. Ashni Singh, praised the initiative, noting that the partnership was a demonstration of meaningful change that occurs when government, the private sector, and civil society work together.
“It represents economic empowerment at the community level and showcases the values of President Ali’s One Guyana philosophy,” Dr Singh stated.
Speaking at the ceremony too was Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, who also commended the initiative, underscoring the role of the private sector as a partner in development and not just service providers.
“Our utility companies are not just service providers. They are partners in development. Their presence here will make services more accessible while supporting sustainable employment for persons with disabilities,” he noted.
Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally, was keen to highlight that the initiative was “an excellent example of delivering targeted, people-centered solutions, and increasing job opportunities for persons with disabilities which is essential to a modern, inclusive public service.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Commission on Disability, Mr. Ganesh Singh, expressed deep appreciation for the initiative, noting that it was a “progressive step” that strengthens the government’s commitment to inclusion.
“This brings services closer to people, especially people with disabilities who can now use an accessible facility to pay for services. I hope other private sector entities will see this and come on board to employ more persons with disabilities. We need all hands on deck to truly transform the disability landscape in Guyana,” Singh added.
Representatives of the partnering utility companies used the opportunity to express their support and commitment to the initiative which they described as a demonstration of “inclusive development”.
The expansion of employment opportunities at the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation marks another step in advancing inclusion efforts through meaningful partnerships.
