ONE of the lowest moments of my life happened on a beautiful beach in Southern California, and I feel somehow it reflects the frustration that local young people feel.

This is a frustration we can overcome, especially if we focus on effective ways to make use of coming oil revenues, but I think it’s important on some level to articulate just what this pain is. Young people in this country have for many, many years felt left behind.

Can you name one big local technology company? Can you name one run by young people? I stumbled across a local youth-owned, online marketing firm that had real potential, but I confess I was pretty shocked. It’s like the information technology revolution happened everywhere but here. And young people finding success in the technology industry internationally is not a shocking, new phenomenon by any means– Mark Zuckerberg is now only 33, and he’s been a billionaire for 10 years!

If Guyana is going to be anything other than a commodity producer from now till the end of time, this needs to come to an end. Lets stop wasting energy on ExxonMobil and recognise that now there are massive opportunities to fundamentally change our economy. Innovation is not just a buzzword, it’s about identifying new ways to grow our economy and bring lasting prosperity. The question to ask now, more than ever, is what do we need to do to support an innovative economy?

As much as I enjoyed the sand and the sun in California, I think I most appreciated the way that technology and the arts had forged a community of both diversity and togetherness. This was on display a few years ago when I visited Venice beach, in Los Angeles, with two musicians from Guyana. We came across a field of scores and scores of flags from all over the world stuck right into the white sand and that had to be one of the most picturesque things I’ve ever seen. Of course, we searched for a Guyanese flag with which to take a photo and of course, there was none.

That’s about as disappointed as I’ve ever been. In a way it was like the whole world was having a big party, and Guyanese weren’t invited. Sadly, that’s how young people feel locally — like the whole international technology community is throwing the biggest party of all time and we’re just not invited. This has to end. We can’t seriously be contemplating a future where Guyana just lapses into commodity production and creativity is stifled.

We can support innovation through building up the University of Guyana and local technical schools, investing in better classroom learning experiences across the board and above all dedicating resources toward a youth bank. I see this institution as coordinating and centralising the myriad of funding opportunities there are for young people and believe we must tie its growth to oil revenue. This will ensure that at least some oil revenue is reinvested in long-term industries that can help carry our economy perpetually forward.

The bank should provide grants for basic scientific and technological research, technology-focused small business development and art projects which either demonstrate cultural value or can lead to profitable ventures. Loans can be provided once projects have demonstrated basic levels of viability and a reasonable prospect of long-term success.

A centralised youth bank will thus greatly improve access to critical funding, filling the significant local gap that inhibits innovations’ growth from idea to viable product.
This is of course not to suggest that any random idea will receive funding, as each must be judged on its own merit.

It would be a mistake to underestimate young people’s ability, given the right opportunities, however, as just last week I came across a potentially excellent idea at the science and technology fair at Queen’s College. Recognising that sea defence and overtopping are increasingly important issues, some Saint Stanislaus College students had designed a system of ‘Speed bumps’ that could be used to break the force of waves, thereby reducing the likelihood of overtopping at critical points along the wall.

This is the type of idea that could solve a very real problem on a national scale — wouldn’t it be nice for those young people to readily be able to access funding to test their theories? Can you imagine the return on investment for the country if their solution proved viable? Supporting research like this must be part of our national development strategy.

I asked the students if they were interested in testing their theories and of course what they said was they didn’t really know where they could get the right funding. We can change this.
I recognise that the real reason there was no Guyana flag on that beach was because Guyana was just not well known. We are only now emerging into the international spotlight, but as we begin to paint this national narrative we can’t allow ourselves to opt for the easy route, and just be known as an oil exporter.

Guyana’s young people need more than that. Endless debate about oil keeps missing the point– ideas that drive us forward, like this youth bank, will make a difference long after the wells have run dry. My fellow Guyanese, it’s time we finally planted our flag firmly into the sand. It’s time to move forward.