–youth membership continues to grow rapidly while PNCR, AFC recycle fossils, Dr. Jagdeo says
–over 6,000 youths engaged during recent conferences, engagements

THE Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), the youth arm of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), has attracted thousands of youths over the past weeks, resulting in a surge of new members.
This was according to the PPP General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during his weekly press conference, on Thursday.

The General Secretary said that just over 6,000 youths from across the country were engaged during a series of camps and conferences.
“I think this is an enormous number of young people; I do not think that there is a youth organisations that has those numbers anywhere in our country,” Dr. Jagdeo told reporters during a press conference at the party’s Freedom House headquarters.
He believes that the influx is reflective of the party’s multiethnic and democratic history.

“If you look at the images coming out of these youth conferences, you will see the true nature of the People’s Progressive Party and the youth movement that we are forming; it’s a multi-ethnic gathering of young people,” Dr. Jagdeo said.
Contrasting the party’s broad-based membership with those of its contenders, he related that the PPP/C has an accomplished background in not only engaging youths, but also creating opportunities for personal development.
This unique appeal, he said, is what attracted the “unmatched” numbers at the recent engagements.

“The reason we attract the young people is because we are a party that has a long history of fighting for freedom in this country. From independence to the return of democracy to Guyana, and then fighting off again the PNC’s, AFC’s attempt to steal the 2020 elections.
“We have a long track record of accomplishments moving Guyana forward; we have a track record of giving young people opportunities, at various levels, even at the highest levels in the country; at the ministerial level; at the presidential level,” Dr. Jagdeo said, adding:

“I grew up in the PYO, the youth arm of the party, and by my 20s, I was minister, and by 35, President. Irfaan Ali was a member of the youth arm of the party; he became a minister in his 20s, and by age 40 he became the President of the country.”
The PYO, he said, is “an incubator for leadership,” pointing to the organisation’s mandate of promoting social consciousness and empathy.

“They get a grounding there; they learn empathy with people. They learn about struggles, and that’s the message we have been speaking about at these youth camps. That it is not just personal development; we push our people to grow personally,” Dr. Jagdeo said.
The party, he affirmed, will continue to engage youth’s countrywide, as it looks to grow and create a new era of leaders, as opposed to its contenders who “recycle fossils.”

“The rebuilding of our youth movement is crucial part for the continuity of our party, for the growth of our party and placing it in secure hands …I’m pleased that the party is growing among young people,” the General Secretary said.