Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud is accusing the Auditor General’s Office of providing a report riddled with flawed conclusions, inaccuracies and omissions on the performance of the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) Programme, which is managed by her Ministry.
The report, which was laid in the National Assembly last Thursday, found the programme to be highly flawed, benefitting only 16% of the vulnerable women who had signaled their interest in it.
But jumping to the defence of the Government’s flagship initiative, the Human Services Minister said during the period under review – 2021 and 2022 – 6,203 women were trained under the WIIN Programme, surpassing the target of 6,000 persons.
The Government had injected $185.5 million into programme for the two-year period, including $64 million in 2021. The initiative, the Human Resources Minister, explained was designed to strategically train women in a number of areas, and boost women’s empowerment and economic independence.
She said the performance audit by the Audit Office of Guyana failed to take into consideration those critical facts.
According to Minister Persaud, since its launch in 2021, the WIIN programme has revolutionized access to training for women across Guyana, offering the first-ever free hybrid model with zero entry requirements.
She further explained that the programme ensures that women in every region—regardless of background or circumstance—can gain valuable skills through the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute.
According to her, WIIN is in keeping with Government’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, and breaking down barriers that she believes have long kept many women from opportunities for advancement. She said it is a bold and transformative initiative that challenges the status quo and expands opportunities for all.
The Human Resources Minister complained that although extensive documentation and information for the period were provided, the report contains a number of unsubstantiated conclusions, and she wants to know whether the Audit Office report was framed negatively to diminish the impact that the programme has on the lives of thousands of Guyanese women, even as she admitted that there is room for improvement.
According to her, while the report acknowledges the significant progress made since WIIN’s inception, it undermines the achievements with overly negative conclusions.
Further, she said the report’s assertion that there was a lack of full participation from relevant government agencies and technical and vocational institutions in the course development process is blatantly false.
She also rubbished the claim that the certificates awarded through the programme are of “no value,” stating that the practical value and relevance of the training provided should not be overlooked by a performance audit.
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