…President Jagdeo had urged young people to learn about the past
THE organizing youths of IMPRESS have noticed that the old relics, who have exercised total control with an iron grip over the Guyana Trade Union Congress(GTUC) over the years, have clearly been angered by the participation of thousands of youths from all across Guyana at the recent Youth Expo hosted at the International Convention Centre. It is interesting to note the new-found concern for the nation’s youths by the GTUC, and its allegation that “there is no youth policy that would attend to the developments of youths in a structured and equitable manner.”

The fact that the GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis openly indicates that the youths of today are not better off than previous generations, clearly indicates that this Rip Van Winkle is yet to awake from his slumber.
Lewis, of all persons, should know what the generations of the past were doing, as opposed to now, when youths are being educated in the hundreds of new schools all across this nation, built over the past 19 years, and the hundreds more which were rescued from total collapse since 1992.

Lewis should know that the University of Guyana, which continues to educate students from all walks of life, was built by the PPP Government before it was forced out of office by local elements working with foreign forces, including some of the trade unions and the TUC. This is well documented.

They were the ones who were being paid to sow the seeds of division and destruction in our society, destroying the future of all our youths in this nation. The PPP has been trying effortlessly to heal such divisions, and rebuild after the destruction, despite the constant opposition which is clearly illustrated in the vile ranting of Lewis.

The youths of Guyana are very aware of our past, which makes us more determined to ensure our future is not dictated by dinosaurs which belong to the past, but rather by the new vision which is gradually being realised daily around us. This was one of the biggest concerns underlying IMPRESS, that is, to alter the historic disregard for young Guyanese in national affairs, due to the perception by society that they are politically mute and complacent. Young Guyanese are the primary vessels for future change, by adding to the pool of creative contributions and raising awareness in diverse social and cultural settings.

Nowhere in this world is nation-building as easy as Lewis would have us believe, where jobs are readily available for all, where people do not have to work hard to enjoy the fruits of their labour. What is shocking are attempts by Lincoln Lewis to paint Guyana as the land of milk and honey during the years of the PNC, up to 1992 when this country was bankrupt.

Some of the youths of this nation vividly remember bathing in pools of water during the rainy period in what were actually streets in some sections of the city. We remember days when one had to join lines to stock up on water, and then pull our carts for several villages on our way home. We remember, rather than having an opportunity to go to school, our days were spent looking for food in the farmlands. We remember those of us living in the urban areas lining up to purchase food or for fuel to cook whatever food we had. We remember that a party ticket from the government of the day is what was needed to get a small amount of basic food supplies. We remember when our very educated and professional parents were forced from their offices to do manual labour on the Hope Estate, and if they refused, they would be fired.

Of course when one mentions these glorious days which Lewis speaks of so highly and is obviously proud of, one has to question his mental standing, for such a situation did not affect a particular group of persons; rather, almost all of Guyana suffered during that dark period in our history.

And history is important, as it is the only way we can gauge our progress.
The main theme of President Bharrat Jagdeo during his address to the youths was that we should know about our past and where we came from, so persons such as Lewis will not try to distort our history and thereby distort the way we measure our progress and assess our  goals. The president tried to enlighten youths so the old fossils will not succeed in dividing this nation as they so successfully did so many years ago.
IMPRESS was thus successful in empowering young Guyanese with significant, meaningful knowledge and discourse, indicative of the realities and rigours of adulthood in Guyana, which is ultimately in furtherance of the full realization of their right and power to positively assert their political and social will. This was accomplished by fostering our youths’ comprehension of important governmental undertakings, programmes and policies, particularly those which concern their exercise of political and social influence.
We, the youths of Guyana, embrace each other and pledge to be our brothers and sisters’ keepers. We are still benefiting from the many training initiatives through the Ministry of Labour, which has also found employment for many of us. We have also been empowered through the thousands of scholarships for training, both locally and overseas, in a variety of fields. The IT revolution is not being selectively applied, as it is the Government’s plan, as articulated by our president, to have each and every Guyanese computer literate within a five-year span.

The President’s Youth Choice Initiative and the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana are all projects which have served to fuel the development of our youths. The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s school uniform assistance project, and the Ministry of Education’s school feeding programme are designed to serve in the development of our youths. The WOW project, which targets single  mothers, is designed to empower them, so their children will ultimately enjoy a better life and future, which also includes the single parents’ assistance scheme which additionally caters for financial care for children. The Ministry of Health’s intense vaccination programme for children, its pre-natal and post-natal care for mothers, including the provision of vouchers to access specific food to aid their children’s development, are all geared to ensure a nation of healthy youths.

The constant efforts to link communities countrywide to electricity, roadways and potable water are all designed to improve the standard of living of our youths and aid in their future development. The many families who now own their own homes in the housing areas across Guyana will only serve to further empower our youths.

Finally, the accusation that President Bharrat Jagdeo has a different message when he goes to Babu John or Buxton is as bitter as the individual who pens it. Rather, President Jagdeo’s message has remained the same. We should not forget our past, especially when there are old dinosaurs that played a leading role in dividing us and who still live in the past, who today try to feign ignorance of the realities then and now, in their unending efforts to destroy our progress as a people.
It is nothing short of amazing for the GTUC member, in his misinformation, to say that the president wants Buxtonians to forget their past when his government decided to fund the restoration of a very important and historic landmark in that village, in the form of the Tipperary Hall.

What is important is that IMPRESS provided our youth with an unbiased, practical and readily accessible forum through which to constructively disseminate their ideas and vet their concerns, or request clarifications, thereby stimulating the minds of our youth in an environment of interactivity and user-friendly communication.