ON Monday 29 August, 2011,  I read a most heart-warming story in the Chronicle about the graduation of several youths at Overwinning/Edinburgh in Berbice, under the aegis of  the Community Action Component (CAC) of the Citizens’ Security Programme. It was heart-warming because it illustrates a most important truth about life, declaring that ‘all is seldom ever lost.’ In fact, the news that young people are beginning to ‘get a grip’ of themselves was quite inspiring.

First, I want to really emphasise that not all persons will have an academic inclination. However, that does not make them ‘stupid’, nor render them ‘disadvantageous.’ It only means that their sphere of work is likely to be business, industrial or technical.
The point to really grasp here is that people can still make a solid contribution to society, while they earn a good living outside of ‘academia.’ At no time must persons ‘go to waste’ just being ‘limers’ and  ‘time wasters’. In this regard, Government deserves tremendous commendation too.

This is because (according to the article) some 54 youths from the Overwinning/Edinburgh area, on Friday, graduated from the six-month life skills and vocational training programme; this coming under the aegis of  the Community Action Component (CAC) of the Citizens’ Security Programme. Just let this sink in!

Without this initiative, a possible 54 young people would have been ‘ill at ease’ and merely ‘hoping for something.’ Now they have an accreditation and are armed with skills to ‘earn legitimate bread.’ I iterate yet again, that the entire programme, aimed at aiding and equipping citizens to earn a living, is a most noteworthy one.

The youths who completed the course were trained in skills such as garment construction, information technology, food preparation and service, cosmetology, auto and motor mechanics, and data entry.

These areas reveal not only diversity but relevance, as today’s Guyana is an ever expanding one, and training in traditional academia alone will never suffice for nation-building.  Also, the view that not to be academic is to be inferior is quickly and rightfully disappearing. Life, in any part of the world, is complex and varied, and the CAC aspect of the CSP shows cognizance of this reality.
In fact, in delivering the graduation charge, Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee,  explained that as Guyana moves forward, the need for new investments (both local and foreign) must be broadened and intensified.

Therefore, according to the minister, the country’s human resources have to be equipped to drive these investments, in all the necessary and available areas. Like I, too, have said at the onset, the minister pointed out that the programme is offering that all-important second chance to youths, providing them with lifelong skills that will enable them to earn a decent living. This has a two-fold purpose: contributing positively to the country’s development and earning an honest and decent living.
In closing, I urge the youths of today, especially those who think that they have ‘missed out’, to simply ‘get on board.’ Life is about seizing the moment, and must never be wasted. The Guyana Government is taking the initiative to help, but the youths of today must be willing to ‘get on board.’