THE first sitting of the fifth annual Youth Parliament commences today, with secondary school students using the opportunity to have their voices heard on a number of matters of national importance.

Over the past five days, the children benefited from the guidance and training of youth mentors, who aided in assisting them in doing research on motions they were assigned to debate.

The motions the secondary school students will debate today are banning of single use plastics, copyright law, discipline in school and curbing substance abuse.
Parliament Office’s Public Relations Officer, Yannick December, told Guyana Chronicle that, from the preparations thus far, he anticipates an exciting debate.

December said the youths were exposed to various workshops on parliamentary etiquette and decorum as well as an advisory session with the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Additionally, they have had one-on-one sessions with past parliamentarians such as James Bond and Christopher Jones, who helped to train them in debating and argumentative techniques.

The youths also benefitted from a session with the Cacique Toast Masters Club on the art of public speaking.

“Because we do believe that it is very important for persons to understand what it takes to be a public speaker…. In addition to its sensitisation role, this activity will boost the students’ morale and develop and hone their debating and leadership skills. And this is in keeping with the Youth Parliament’s motto, ‘Our generation, Our voice. Inspire, Encourage’ … We want to be able to mould participants in the right way, and what you’re witnessing is the grand rehearsal. The children are really excited, and they are up late every night trying to get their work done,” December said.

He also noted that thus far, they see the vision of Youth Parliament being brought to life.
“We see students who appeared to be introverts, expressing themselves a lot more now, and that was what we wanted… The mentors helped them with research, and from that research, they will be expressing their position to the motion,” December explained.
But the ultimate goal, he pointed out, is to have the youths’ perspective heard.

“This is an initiative that should serve as an eye-opener for the National Assembly, to have them understand that the youths have an opinion too. We’re hoping that whatever comes out of the sitting could shed some light on how the youths are thinking and the directions to which they are looking to go,” December said.

The university students will have their opportunity on Thursday, and will be debating the use of sovereign wealth fund, migration policy, youth participation in governance, and amendment of Article 155 1 (A) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana
December noted that they are expecting fireworks at Thursday’s debate, as the university students are a lot more expressive and argumentative.