Major service providers join Palmyra Centre to boost jobs for persons with disabilities
Guyana’s drive toward true inclusion for persons with disabilities has received a major boost, with seven major utility and service providers joining the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation at Palmyra, Region Six.
The partnership was formally announced during a ceremony at the facility, which was launched in June this year. It follows sustained lobbying by First Lady Arya Ali for the private sector to provide more employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
The participating companies- Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), ENet, One Communications, MMG, MoneyGram and Western Union- have begun setting up service kiosks inside the Centre. They will begin offering a full suite of services to Region Six residents by January 2026.
Importantly, each company has committed to hiring at least one person with a disability to manage its kiosk, adding to the 90 persons already employed there.
First Lady Ali described the move as a major step toward economic empowerment and a more progressive Guyana.
“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,” she said.
She noted that the initiative proves the value of government, private sector and civil society working with a shared purpose, and indicated plans to expand the model to all regions across the country.
Minister of Finance and Regional Six MP, Dr Ashni Singh, praised the partnership as a practical example of economic empowerment that reflects President Ali’s One Guyana philosophy.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, also welcomed the move, stressing that the companies are “partners in development” whose presence will make services more accessible while supporting sustainable jobs.
Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally, added that the collaboration shows how people-centred solutions can improve employment for persons with disabilities in the public service.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Commission on Disability, Ganesh Singh, called the development a “progressive step” that brings services closer to persons with disabilities and strengthens the national push for inclusion.
The expansion of employment and services through the Centre stands as another marker of the First Lady’s ongoing effort to transform opportunities for persons with disabilities across Guyana.
