THIRTEEN members of the President’s Youth Advisory Council (PYAC) last week shared their plans and aspirations regarding the role they will play in helping to shape government programmes and policies.
Coming from various backgrounds and communities across Guyana, many have said they are looking forward to providing a voice for members of their respective regions and to creating the changes necessary to build ‘One Guyana.’

Several members commented that the PYAC is a good indication of the government’s willingness to involve youth in the decision-making process, and lauded President Irfaan Ali’s vision in this regard. Here are the comments of the other members of the Council:

Arianna Seeraj, 25, Environmental Awareness Coordinator at Ministry of Natural Resources.
“ I believe that being a member of this Council will be an empowering experience and will play a vital role in the creation of plans and policies that will hopefully be key agents to induce social change, economic growth and technological innovation, especially in this era where Guyana is on the cusp of massive evolution. The areas that I would particularly love to see improvements in our health and agriculture. I was also selected to be in the Agriculture Sub-Committee of the PYAC, and so I believe that my father, Dharamkumar Seeraj, who is a stalwart veteran of the agriculture sector, would be crucial in providing well-informed guidance to me so that my team and I would be able to bring about purposeful changes within the agriculture sector.”

Dharshinie Meenaketana Gokarran, 28, Agricultural Science teacher beginning to read for a Bachelor’s of Education Degree specialised in Agriculture. “Having been selected and appointed, I am enthusiastic about sharing my ideas, skills, experiences and learning new and innovative ways in upgrading my current skills and knowledge to improve the standard of living for my fellow Guyanese. I strongly believe that with engagement of youths in schools and at the community level, along with their parents and guardians, we will have a healthier and progressive Guyanese nation.”

Thandi Mc Allister, 40, Attorney-at-Law, and Director of Legal Services at Maritime Administration Department, Ministry of Public Works. “The establishment of the PYAC signals a recognition of the importance of youth in policy-making at all levels. My appointment to the PYAC presents an excellent opportunity for my representation of the interests, ideas, and opinions of the young people of Region Three, that they may be stimulated and encouraged into even more meaningful action.”

Junior Basant, 28, Bachelors of Social Sciences Degree (Distinction) and Master’s Degree in Social Work. “To be appointed as a member of the PYAC is surreal. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Importantly, I will endeavour to ensure the youths of Berbice have their voices heard through strong representation. The areas I would like to see improvement in would be youths’ access to education and educational services that can enhance their personal and professional capacity/development, especially in region 6. I am also keen on addressing social issues affecting young people with an emphasis on teenage pregnancy, self-harm, and bullying in schools. Emphasis will be placed on introducing/ resuscitating non-traditional sports (boxing, lawn tennis, athletics, etc.) in region Six.”

Josh Kanhai, general medical doctor. “I will be contributing my time, my best efforts, my professional and vocational skills and my heart to the development of the youth council and, by extension, my country. I am of the belief that we must look to the people on the ground, listen to them and understand them so that we can make informed decisions which, in turn, affect their livelihood. I intend to contribute my knowledge on various fronts, especially in nurturing the culture of research… Everything we do must be done with the use of credible data…
Contributing to getting more youths into agriculture is another focus, and I intend for the youths to see the benefits and modern capabilities of Agriculture so that we can reach goals of self-sustainability and then exportability.”

Tracy Shamsudeen, 28, Bachelors in Law (LLB) and Masters in International Oil and Gas Law (LLM) and Gaming Authority of Guyana (CEO ag.). “Most important is for the government to continue to enhance its progress in ensuring that the basic needs of our people are met specifically in the areas of food and energy security… ensuring that there is an equitable distribution of resources in areas which are relevant to the development of educational institutions, creation of affordable housing and countrywide distribution of employment opportunities for our young people.”

Devina Persaud, 27, Secretary to Amerindian Affairs Minister. “I hail from Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) and I am proud to utilise this opportunity to the best of my ability to impact youths across Guyana, but especially in my region. I am especially interested in Agricultural Development and Constitutional and Legislative reform. I believe my skills in community mobilisation and coordination at the grassroots level can significantly contribute to creating the changes I want to see.”

Praem Narine Rambharak, 39, currently pursuing a PhD in Management and recently earned a Master’s Degree in Small and Medium Enterprises Management from UWI. “I am ready to assist in executing the vision, mission and core values of the PYAC, and creating additional pathways; pass-on moral values so that young Guyanese can have their opinions heard and further implemented. I encourage our younger folks to consider “staycation” and support local manufacturing produce, use our resources (energy) consciously, save our water (which is perhaps the “new” oil), restrain from illicit drugs, drink responsibly, make use of the copious opportunities we now have, be cohesive and let us give a hand in assisting to build our One Guyana.”

Shawn Duggin, 19, Driver/Clerk at Ministry of Agriculture. “It feels good to be a part of something so big. Due to my vast work experience and knowledge gathered over the years, I believe I can bring a lot to the table. I would like to see in my region better facilities in the industrial development area and human resource management, along with improvements in the healthcare sector and mental health.”

Paul Harris, 27, of Develdt, Berbice River, Crop Extension Officer at Ministry of Agriculture. “My greatest contribution would be in the area of agriculture. I would like to see the agricultural sector of our country develop and the food import bill reduced. One of the main emphasis of the government is the reduction of the reduction of that bill by 25 percent by 2025. I believe that I can make a significant contribution to this area. Most of the persons engaged in agriculture are of a more senior or aged population, and I think it’s the opportune time that lots of young people become involved in agriculture.”

Cassia Alphonso, 33, graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree (majored in English) and Director at Adamantium Holdings. “I am highly honoured and humbled by this appointment. I applaud our President for yet another immense initiative. I will offer a different perspective to discussions which can foster new ideas to execute specific objectives. I would particularly like to see initiatives geared towards enhancing education and mental health. I believe through this dynamic, forward-thinking, multifaceted group created by His Excellency. We will collectively investigate and create novel approaches to combat existing plights which we face as a country.”

Anil Tulsie, doctor on the internal medicine team at West Demerara Regional Hospital. “Being a part of the President’s Youth Advisory council is a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to use my skill set to advocate for and promote better health care for all of the citizens of my beautiful country.”

Keoma Griffith, 29, Attorney-at-law and Secretary of the Bar Association of Guyana. “The opportunity to serve Guyana’s youth at a national level is quite an honour. I’m most excited to interact with youths across Guyana and hear of their aspirations for a unified Guyana and how the Council can advocate on their behalf. I will therefore bring my legal training…to drive home their concerns at forums with His Excellency and other decision-making personnel. I am most hopeful that this appointment and the efforts of the entire Youth Council will assist in bringing us closer to achieving the aim of One Guyana.”

Ryan Kirton, 37, BSc in International Relations and MSc in International Relations, currently employed at Newsroom Inc. “It was an honor to be asked to serve on this Council. I intend on working assiduously to make the work of the council impactful.”