…outlines vision for scouts association as body celebrates 110th anniversary
“YOUNG people must learn to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors, you must think about canoeing in the creeks; you must think about camping in the forest; you must think about hiking in the hills; you must think about swimming in the rivers; you must think of showering under the cold waterfalls; you must see the scout movement as a place for reconciliation and relaxation,” said President David Granger.
President Granger was speaking at the Scouts Association of Guyana’s (SAG) 110th anniversary on Saturday, when the association celebrated its milestone at its headquarters on Woolford Avenue; the SAG also simultaneously hosted the opening ceremony for its 2019 National Camp.

The SAG was established in 1909, just two years after scouting was founded in England,and holds the distinction of being the first scouts association in the Caribbean.
President Granger spoke about the direction in which he intends to push the association to foster further development of the persons in the association, saying, “I have a vision for the Scouts Association of Guyana, and that vision, firstly, is to ensure that there is one scout troop in every capital town in every region; and you could look forward to seeing that change from next year. And secondly, the second part of my vision is that camps will go beyond Thomas Lands; they will go to the grasslands, to the wetlands, to the highlands in the hinterland. Thomas Lands is nice so far, but we have to go farther than here, so that you would get the opportunity to see the rest of the country.”

He further encouraged the association to align themselves for development, to be pivotal persons in developing the country. The Head of State said the government’s focus is to use youth as it pushes forward to move Guyana’s economy to achieve more; there will be increasing attention paid to youth education and youth development, beginning in 2020, as the country moves into its decade of development.

“THE future of Guyana belongs to you, all that you see around you, around us, around the country, is part of what you will inherit; you will become the protectors of our patrimony; you will become the defenders of this big beautiful and bountiful country; you will look after Guyana and in the words of our national anthem, ‘lands of rivers and plains, made rich by the sunshine and lush by the rain,’ this is our national anthem and this is your land, and you need to have the knowledge, the skills and the interests to progress your country and to take it forward into prosperity,” said President Granger.

President Granger further spoke about the benefits of the scouts association. He stated that it prepares youths for the future by giving them the chance to have practical life experiences; this, while allowing them to interact with persons of various religious, social, and cultural backgrounds, all while having an exciting learning experience.
He further said that it is the best place for young people who would naturally be going through physical and psychological changes; it would provide them with a level of guidance and stability, keeping them grounded as individuals and preparing them for the future.

“Young people during this critical point of their life, want adventure; they want excitement; they want to experiment; they want to find new experiences, and they want to explore new places and they need an organisation, an institution to support them in this quest during their adolescence, when they’re looking for new opportunities and broader horizons.
Through the scouts association, young people are taught the value of respect for one another; respect for property; respect for the law and respect for the environment. Your code teaches you the values of conduct and those values emphasise duty, loyalty to your country and integrity.

This connection helped to build the characters of young people and to help prepare them to become responsible citizens while at the same time developing friendships and having fun as you’re having now,” stated President Granger.