GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, on Sunday delivered the feature address at a large gathering of over 3,000 young people at the Tain Campus, Region Six, during a Youth Conference organised by the party.

According to a press release, this conference was the latest in a series of similar events held as part of the party’s countrywide drive to recruit a new generation of young members to its youth arm, the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO).

In his address at Tain, General Secretary Jagdeo outlined the history of the PPP and the PYO, highlighting their founding by the early leadership of the party.

He shared the instrumental role played by the PYO and its members in key aspects of the PPP’s political activism over the years, particularly in the struggle against the PNC dictatorship and the fight for democracy during the 1970s and 1980s, which culminated in the restoration of democracy in 1992.

The General Secretary also noted that the PYO has historically served as the party’s leadership incubator, providing a path through which many of the party’s current leaders entered political life. The release added that he cited examples such as President, Dr Irfaan Ali and himself, both of whom began their political careers in the PYO and have since gone on to hold the highest offices in the country.

Dr Jagdeo emphasised to the young audience the importance of discipline and commitment to the ideals and objectives of the party, which have been key to the sustained strength of both the PYO and the PPP over the years.
He also elaborated on the government’s plans to transform Region Six, including the aggressive expansion of infrastructures essential for productive activities and quality of life, such as the construction of new
Hope-like canals, a four-lane highway, community roads and the creation of opportunities for personal advancement through training programmes at the Guyana Technical Training College at Port Mourant.

Following the General Secretary’s address, an interactive session was held, allowing participants to pose questions to Dr Jagdeo.

The youths later engaged in break-out sessions to discuss issues they felt needed priority attention from the party and the government.

This youth conference in Region Six follows several others held in various regions, with more scheduled as the party intensifies its recruitment of the next generation of members nationwide, the release added.