The People’s Progressive Party salutes Guyana’s oldest youth movement, the Progressive Youth Organization on its 60th Anniversary.
The PPP, from the time of its formation, saw youth as a vital section of the population which had to be effectively mobilized, if the ultimate success – freeing Guyanese from the shackles of colonialism and persisting oppression– was going to be achieved in a lasting manner. Thus, work began to create a youth arm and the establishment of a youth arm of the PPP was ratified at the party’s second congress in March 1952, and was implemented on September 6th of that year – just two years after the PPP was formed in 1950.
The name adopted at the formation of the section was the Pioneer Youth League and it shared the aims and objectives of its mother organization, the PPP.
These included the struggle for Independence, the need for constitutional reform to provide for self Government at all levels; the need for economic development to provide equal economic opportunities for all; the need for employment opportunities to be given to Guyanese on a priority basis; labour legislation to ensure the rights of workers, especially the young labour force.
However, just 133 days after the PPP was elected to government, the British sent warships to then British Guiana, suspended the constitution and ejected the PPP Government from Office on October 9, 1953. In moving to drastically halt the Independence movement, in which the PYO was a key actor, the organization was deemed illegal and forced to go underground. It made brief appearances under various names – the Guiana Youth Movement, the Guiana Union of Democratic Youth, and later, Guiana Union of Patriotic Youth; but these also felt the wrath of the colonial authorities.
History stands testimony to the fact that the PYO was indeed the first youth group, which courageously and fearlessly brought the youth to the forefront of the struggle for national Independence. The sacrifice was such that a number of its members were jailed and lives were lost. The most dastardly one was Michael Forde, killed while removing a bomb planted by PNC agents at the bottom of Freedom House, in the bookshop. Forde, a few months prior to his death, had led a PYO Independence march from Corentyne to Georgetown in February, 1964.
Not only was the PYO actively involved in marches, literature campaigns and picketing exercises, but it also aligned itself with international youth organizations, and it received active support for its cause. But in the fight for Independence, the PYO’s battle was not all political – there was a PYO football team, a PYO “Revolution” steel band and a PYO choir.
The PYO efforts came to fruition on May 26, 1966, despite Whitehall’s (British) earlier reply to the Independence demands of the PYO by insisting that it could never – a famous word – surrender its responsibilities. They had imposed emergency laws, imprisoned several PPP-PYO-WPO leaders, called in the Army, but failed in the end to prevent the result that has been inevitable from the start – Guyana’s Independence.
After a period of dormancy, the PYO was reinvigorated after a party congress in 1967.
A new challenge however emerged – that of freeing the country from internal oppressors where wide-scale discrimination, witch-hunting and victimization were being carried out by the PNC administration.
After many years of continuous struggle, freedom was restored in 1992 with the return of free and fair elections which was won by the People’s Progressive Party.
Today, the PYO is still active across our country and the party recognizes the recent national road safety campaign,during which hundreds of our youths came out to repaint pedestrian crossings in several regions.
Even if this selfless act contributes to saving at least one life, it would have been worth the effort.
Interestingly however the party notes that such a worthwhile act by the youths of our nation was not deserving of recognition by the Stabroek and Kaieteur News which both refused to publish a PYO press release which was sent to them.
This is not the first such occasion, but the PPP respects the right of these media organizations in refusing to publish/highlight the work of our youths as it is a sacred right the PPP/WPO and PYO fought many years to establish.
The 60th anniversary of the PYO comes at a crucial juncture in our history when the decisions we make today will determine whether we embrace the future and take a giant leap forward in the modern transformation of our nation, or fall into the trap of those who historically have fought to erase any gains we have made as a people.
Youth from all across our country will play a pivotal role in this process as they will have to lead us into this new era which successive PPP/C Governments have worked tirelessly to realize.
History has shown that the PPP placed enormous emphasis on the development of our youth, and the fact is it is the PYO which has provided and continues to provide many of our great leaders.
The People’s Progressive Part salutes the countless numbers who have served the PYO and those who continue to do so.
Long live the PYO!