WHETHER Guyana has a bright, productive future or a dismal, dark one depends, more than any other factor, on what the young people of today decide to do. As such, the current leaders of our country should create the environment for young Guyanese to develop themselves.

Fortunately, the Guyana government’s elected leaders have recognised that fact and are working to empower our youth to be productive and responsible citizens. The APNU+AFC administration is occupied with empowering the next generation of Guyanese to take over the mantle of leadership and positive development.

The development and empowerment of young people has been a priority of the administration since it took the role of government in 2015. In the most recent budget presentation, $1.7 billion was allocated to various programmes aimed at raising the standard of living of young people and maximising their opportunities for development.
The programmes include the Youth Innovation Project of Guyana, the Guyana Youth Business Project, and allocations to the various training institutions that serve young Guyanese.

In his presentation of the budget in the National Assembly, Minister of Finance Mr. Winston Jordan said, “[I am] encouraging groups, cooperatives, and job-seeking individuals to take advantage of the many schemes, programmes and funding opportunities that are available for youths to be their own boss, including the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development Programme (SLED).”

Minister Jordan added that funding for young entrepreneurs is also available through the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN); $218 million was allocated to that project alone.
The 2019 budget that is themed, “Transforming the Economy, Empowering the People, Building Sustainable Communities for a Good Life,” is premised on government’s philosophical conviction that, that purpose of government is service to the people and facilitation of a good life for all Guyanese, both presently, and in the future.

President Granger, even before he took office, envisioned the approach to youth empowerment and development. He wrote and spoke in great detail of his vision. He said that his government will adopt a two-pronged approach: entrepreneurship and education.
He has made that vision a reality through the various initiatives and programmes which his government has implemented, expanded, and continues to fund enthusiastically and generously.

The approach establishes programmes to allow young Guyanese access to money to start businesses, and, puts in place programmes to train them to start and manage their own enterprises. President Granger has repeatedly emphasised that we cannot all be doctors and lawyers; we need masons, carpenters, electrical technicians, and computer specialists. Otherwise, how will Guyana develop?

The administration launched the LEN programme in 2016, having identified the need in the Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice region. The programme allows people to have access to loans to establish and expand their businesses. At the launch of the programme, President Granger said that his government is dedicated to creating an environment which can provide the facilities for young people to be self-employed.

His Excellency said, “We are bringing all the youth programmes together to have a common core curriculum so that every child, whether or not he or she is a school dropout, who enters that programme will get common training, which will prepare him or her to get employment in Guyana.

“I don’t like to see young children, some of them who have left secondary school, in the Rupununi for example, drifting over to Brazil to do menial work. I think they can stay here and get a good living; not only because oil is on the horizon, but because we can produce practically every food that the Eastern Caribbean needs.

Addressing his young audience, President Granger said too, “Your education will not only equip you for employment, but it will also equip you for entrepreneurial activities so that you can become rich.” Our future lies in the hands of our youth. And the government is determined to empower young Guyanese to take the baton of leadership and continue the developmental path that we, as citizens, have chosen; and, that is being done with efficiency and effectiveness.