–64 participants named, urged to preserve Guyana’s democratic values

THE 7th Annual Youth Parliament was on Friday officially opened, with participating youths urged to examine and debate issues affecting their demographic group.

With 86 youths expected to participate in this year’s meeting, from August 12 to August 18, the programme will expose them to training in parliamentary etiquette and decorum, the role of Members of Parliament, and the art of public speaking among other topics.

Delivering brief remarks during the opening session, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs Kwame McCoy charged the participants to sound their collective voices in support of the sanctity of Guyana’s democratic values.

He also urged that as they take on their areas of debate, attention should be placed on the transformational path that the country is on.

“Recognise that the unprecedented investments in education, healthcare, the traditional productive sectors and social services, the cost of energy and technology will elevate the Guyanese society on par with the developed countries,” Minister McCoy said, adding that the perspectives that will be shared through the spirited and respectful debates on the many issues will add value to the country’s sacred democracy.

Meanwhile, it was noted that there will be four sittings of the Youth Parliament on August 17 and August 18, with the morning sessions being for participants at the secondary school level, and the afternoons being reserved for the senior categories of debates and other institutions.

This year’s programme will be done by way of a hybrid format, with 40 participants in the junior category, and 46 at the senior level.

This is the largest cohort of youth parliamentarians to participate in the exercise since the programme’s launch.

There are participants from both public and private schools across all 11 educational districts in Guyana.

In the senior category, participants include former competitors in the Speaker of the National Assembly’s national debating competition, the University of Guyana (UG), technical institutes across the country, and new entrant, the University of the West Indies (UWI).