MINISTER of Youth Affairs, within the Ministry of the Presidency, Simona Broomes, has pledged to help youth within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community become self-employed.

The Minister made this pledge at a recent engagement with members of the Guyana Trans United, which is an LGBTQ+ representative body, at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday.

Importantly, this engagement was hailed as “historic” by a member of the GTU and rights advocate, Cracey Fernandes, since it was the first time representatives of the community were able to engage with a Minister at the Ministry of the Presidency.

“We the members of the LGBTQ community feel we are part of the good life. We might have specific problems, particularly in the equal opportunities in the workplace… but we have a good relationship with the current government,” Fernandes said. He also added that with the previous administration, the LGBTQ had to protest in order to engage the government.

At this engagement, Fernandes told the Minister that the group has applied for a plot of land, located at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, in an attempt to use this land for agricultural purposes so that young LGBTQ+ persons could have access to some form of employment.

With this purpose in mind, he requested the Minister’s help in finalising the process of acquiring that land and subsequently, some support to develop this land to create opportunities for agriculture and entrepreneurship.

Minister Broomes congratulated them for thinking outside of the norm, vis a vis employment opportunities, and said: “One of the things I think you all need to look at is your independence.”

She further explained that unemployment is a problem that is not limited to the LGBTQ+ community, but it is one that affects a wide cross section of the Guyanese public. However, she acknowledged that this minority group faces the extra hurdle of discrimination because of its Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI).

“I really respect all of you as Guyanese,” she said while pledging the government’s assistance. Specifically, she promised to engage Minister of Rural Agriculture, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood and Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally.

Additionally, she stressed that all of the youth should apply for house lots. This, she indicated is aligned with President Granger’s vision of each citizen having his/her own home and she said that she would also reach out to Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson, on behalf of them.

“I’m assuring you that there will be no discrimination,” Minister Broomes said, adding: “It’s not about no handouts or anything, once you got the breath, the sky’s the limit.”

DISCRIMINATION

The young people present at the gathering also highlighted that discrimination continues to be a problem that they face.

Keon Groenhart related that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) needs to change how they respond to the LGBTQ community, since when persons go to the force to access justice, they are often treated poorly.

To this end, Fernandes said that there needs to be continuous training with the GPF, noting: ““If we don’t have continuous training in the system by members in the community we will not be able to harness the kind of human rights satisfaction and respect for every citizen.”

Upon hearing this, Minister Broomes shared that she was going to write the Commissioner of Police to let him know that this matter of discrimination is a serious one, since these persons are all Guyanese and they have a constitutional right to justice.

“That is still something of concern and I’m going to write to the Commissioner and let him know,” she said.