– PYO
THE Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), the youth arm of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has denounce the deliberate cuts by the combined Opposition parties (AFC and APNU)  to the 2012 National budget, more particularly the cuts of $170M for the development of the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) programme currently pursued. The PYO, in a statement, said April 25, 2012 was “truly a sad and tragic day in the history of our beloved country as we watched the political maneuvering of the APNU/AFC in the National Assembly wielding their unbridled rage to shatter and demise the future of our country and its youth”.
“Their malicious actions, pleasurably and non-chalantly done, can only be seen as a strategy by the APNU/AFC to kill the dreams of the poor.  This cut in budgetary allocation from the ICT programme will stymie the development of a vibrant and very promising ICT sector,” the PYO posited.
“It will result in a halt of the One Lap Top per Family Programme – which to date, thousands of persons have benefited from, in spite of their race and political affiliation,” the PYO stated.
It will also bring to a halt, the installation of the fiber optic cable – which is geared at improving bandwidth capacity, enhancing internet connectivity and expanding IT services and opportunities throughout Guyana, especially the rural areas.
In a globalised world, where ICT is the driving force behind growth, countries need to make facilities and services available to educate its people to take the lead in the development process.  ICT is an enabler of growth as it enhances a country’s competitiveness and encourages investments.
“Majority of our young people are currently engaged in the ICT sector. The potential for growth and development in this sector was outlined in the Country’s National Competitiveness Strategy. It was not invested in by the will of the Government, but rather, at the will of our people,” the PYO asserted.
“And so to cut the budgetary allocations for the programme is a myopic and thoughtless exercise which will have debilitating effects on the economy and the future of our people,” it argued.
It noted that the current period in Guyana’s development presents an opportunity to launch initiatives that will provide a basis for transformation towards a more diversified, innovation -inducing, export driven, and resilient economy.  However, the so-called new dispensation of the APNU/AFC cannot summon their collective diligence to navigate their way in this new era of development.
“One can therefore conclude that it is this lack of insight, and their seemingly elusive idea of social and economic development that the APNU/AFC has cut the budgetary allocations,” the PYO posited.
The Organisation also strongly condemned this act and called on all Guyanese to take note of the ill-actions of the combined Opposition parties and the implications their decision will have on the future of our country, more particularly our young people.
“We ask that our country be placed first and that our National Assembly not be used as a theatre for counter-productive, unpatriotic actions,” the PYO stated.
“For as young people, these are unforgiving actions that are designed by the Opposition Parties to shred and shatter the dreams of Guyana’s most important resource-our educated, skilled and productive youth,” the organization added.