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Guyana has opened its first Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence, a $100 million facility housed within the New Amsterdam Technical Institute in Region Six. According to Kaieteur News, the commissioning ceremony took place on Friday, September 12, 2026, with government officials and representatives from the private sector in attendance.
The centre represents a collaborative effort involving the Ministries of Labour and Education, the Greater Guyana Initiative, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, LearnCorp International, and ExxonMobil Guyana alongside its Stabroek Block partners. The facility will be administered by the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning and is designed to advance workplace safety, sensitise workers and employers, and strengthen occupational safety culture across Guyana’s expanding industrial sectors.
Government officials framed the facility as a critical response to the nation’s economic transformation. According to remarks delivered on behalf of President Irfaan Ali, Guyana’s rapid development in mining, construction, oil and gas, and infrastructure has introduced new workplace risks and technologies that demand stronger safety frameworks. The President emphasised that safety cannot be left to chance and called for more frequent workplace inspections, tighter enforcement, and greater emphasis on occupational safety education.
Labour Minister Keoma Griffith described the centre as an investment in workforce development and technical excellence that complements the ministry’s "Putting Safety First" campaign, which operates across all regions. Education Minister Sonia Parag noted that 94 schools nationwide have incorporated the Caribbean Vocational Qualification programme into their curriculum, positioning the new centre as a national and regional hub for CVQ Level 3 OSH training.
The facility welcomed its first cohort of trainees at the commissioning ceremony, marking the beginning of operations at what officials characterised as a landmark investment in Guyana’s occupational safety infrastructure.
Guyana’s economy has undergone rapid transformation in recent years, driven largely by oil and gas development in the Stabroek Block. This expansion has created new employment opportunities but also introduced novel workplace hazards and safety challenges across multiple sectors including mining, construction, and manufacturing. A ceremonial sod-turning for the centre took place in July 2025, preceding the September 2026 commissioning.
As a major Caribbean oil and gas producer, Guyana’s approach to occupational safety sets a regional precedent for managing workplace risks in extractive industries. The centre’s focus on technical vocational training and safety standards may serve as a model for other Caribbean nations navigating similar economic transitions and workplace safety challenges.
Sources and attribution
- Kaieteur News
- greaterguyanainitiative.gy
- stabroeknews.com
- inewsguyana.com
- guyanatimesgy.com
- gov.gy
- gov.gy
- gov.gy
- guyanachronicle.com
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