President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Kathy Smith, has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Board of Industrial Training, which falls under the Ministry of Labour.

Ms. Smith has become the first woman in the Board’s 115-year history to serve as Chairperson.

According to a statement from the Labour Ministry, Smith brings a wealth of experience and knowledge accumulated over several decades to the Board of Industrial Trianing, and she is widely recognised as a prominent leader within the Guyanese business community and a strong advocate for private sector development and economic growth.

In 2025, Kathy Smith also made history when she became the first female President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) in its 136-year history.

“Her leadership experience and commitment to strengthening the relationship between industry and workforce development will be invaluable to the work of the Board of Industrial Training”, the statement said.

Labour Minister, Keoma Griffith, has expressed confidence that the newly appointed Board will continue to strengthen the role of the Board of Industrial Training in advancing national workforce development and expanding opportunities for skills training across Guyana.

Under the leadership of the Chairperson and the newly appointed Board, BIT is expected to continue to focus on strengthening technical and vocational education and training (TVET), addressing skills gaps through stronger alignment with industry needs, and expanding partnerships with the private sector in support of Guyana’s growing economy.

The official members of the Board of Industrial Training (2026–2027) are as follows:

Chairperson – Ms. Kathy Smith

Vice-Chair – Mr. Ganesh Singh

Members

Mr. John Edghill

Ms. Andrea Benjamin

Mr. Yannick Garraway

Ms. Sheila Verasammy

Mrs. Karen Roopchand

Mrs. Desa Liverpool

Ms. Penelope Harris

Mr. Michael Turner

Mr. Krishn Sharma

Mr. Suresh Singh

Ex-Officio Members

Ms. Indrani Ramnarine

Mr. Jainarine Sarjoo Sookpaul

Mr. Richard Maughn

The Board of Industrial Training remains committed to its mandate of supporting technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Guyana through the development of a skilled, competent, and productive workforce.

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