Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry has laid out ambitious plans for the youths in Guyana, revealing that there will be the establishment of a Youth Investment Fund.

During her contribution to the Budget 2016 debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Minister Henry noted that the fund intends to spur enterprises by persons under the age of 30.

“Our young people have not realized their potential in the last two decades. The previous Government took a piecemeal approach….they had no plan for youth development…We in the APNU+AFC Government is rectifying this situation,” Minister Henry told the House.

She pointed out that the new government concluded a youth policy and is now working to complete the National Youth Empowerment Action Plan. Meanwhile, Minister Henry further revealed the establishment of pilot projects in early childhood education centres.

These centres, she said, will be built to international standards and “will go a far away in providing the kind of youths this government envisions.”

According to Henry, in the last two decades, many young people have dropped out from the school system and have received minimal or no guidance at all.

She said youths need direction and advice and the Government believes that suitably that new youth organisations be formed and that youth leaders be trained to lead the way forward.

According to Henry, the Department of Culture will be reorganised to ensure youths are trained, while revealing that $60 million will be used to transform the Coldingen workshop into a full-fledged training centre.