–Young Guyanese urge, as they bid a fairly youthful PPP/C Cabinet a warm welcome

By Naomi Parris

AFTER five long months of waiting, which some say felt like light-years, Guyana has finally sworn in its ninth Executive President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, who has since gone on to appoint a relatively youthful cabinet to serve the People of Guyana.
This decision of the newly-appointed President has elicited a positive response from the populace, especially the youths. Young Trevon Johnson, who is a sports enthusiast, told the Guyana Chronicle that despite not knowing much about politics, he cast his ballot for the first time at the March 2, 2020 polls, but was disappointed at the inordinately long time it took to know the results, and to appoint appoint a government.
Nevertheless, the 19-year-old said that all he is hoping is that the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government lives up to its campaign promises.
He said, too, that he is particularly pleased with the new president’s initiative to appoint several young persons as ministers. “That was a good decision; putting a young person,” he said, “because they will think like the youths, and be able to relate to us more.”
Johnson said he is hoping that the new government will see the wisdom of investing in more recreational facilities for young men like himself, so as to help them stay out of trouble, and be more proactive, whether it’s at sports and other activities.
“As a cricketer… I hope that they build more facilities for us sportsmen; for example more cricket grounds and those stuff. I also hope that they better the country and lower the crime rate,” he said.

Sharing similar views was Dino Bouters, who, like Trevon, also voted for the first time. A huge fan of basketball, he said that while he does enjoy a little game of cricket every now and then, he hopes that the new administration makes more provision for other sporting activities and events in the country to occupy the youths.
“They said that they are going to do better for the country,” Dino said, adding: “So we just have to hope and see… I’d like to see more development in sports; we hardly have enough sports, especially in basketball. It’s mainly cricket.”
He had made mention of the new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, 36-year-old Charles Ramson, who, because of his age, he believes will be better able to relate to the youths of Guyana.

Sadna Boodhanlall, on the other hand, noted that though the electoral process was long and frustrating, she is pleased that it has finally come to an end. “For me, the long five-month wait was very frustrating for me and my family, because we felt like we were being held back,” Sadna said. “But apart from that, I’m quite happy that everything has come to an end now,” she added.

She said she is now looking forward to seeing the government and its ministers uphold the promises they made in their Manifesto, as well as while they were on the campaign trail.

“I’m looking forward for this new government to now do what they said they will do for us; work on their Manifesto. I heard some of the newly-appointed ministers saying that they are reviewing their Manifesto, and I’m hoping they are working on that,” she said.
She also noted that she is very concerned about what the government plans doing as it relates to health and education, given the current situation with the coronavirus.
But, being a young professional herself, she said she is optimistic that the new Cabinet members will acquit themselves well, and serve the people of Guyana in such a way as to see greater development in the near future.