–Ramson affirms; points to APNU+AFC’s failure to prioritise advancement of this demographic

MINISTER of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., in his contribution to Day Three of the 2025 Budget Debate, sharply criticised the A Partnership For National Unity +Alliance For Change APNU/AFC coalition for its failure to support young people and their repeated disregard for young leadership.

Ramson highlighted a troubling pattern, accusing the previous government of sidelining the younger generation when it came to political representation and opportunities for leadership.
“They had three opportunities, three opportunities to replace an MP in the last four years,”Ramson said, referring to the APNU/AFC’s appointments in the last three vacancies.

He said: “They replaced those persons with old persons. Persons who are in their 60s and 70s not a single young person was chosen in the three.”

Ramson, who has consistently championed youth empowerment during his tenure, also pointed to the failure of both the APNU and AFC during their internal elections.

Despite having opportunities to elect younger leaders, both parties chose to stick with older, traditional figures. The lack of youth representation in the political process, Ramson argued, has left young Guyanese feeling abandoned and disenfranchised.
In a passionate address, the minister contrasted the approach of the current government, which has made significant strides in prioritising youth development and inclusion.

He proudly announced to the National Assembly that the Institute of Creative Arts is now officially registered with the National Accreditation Council.
Ramson highlighted the previous government’s failure to advance the registration of this vital institution, which was initially proposed as a tertiary-level academy for disciplines such as dance, drama, creative writing, and music.

“The APNU came in, had a brilliant concept, which is a tertiary level creative arts academy for persons who are involved in dance and drama and creative writing, and music, etc. And in those five years they did nothing,” he said.
Ramson further dismissed claims made by opposition member Nima Flu-Bess during the 2025 Budget Debate, in which she alleged that the government does not care about youth.

He pointed to the government’s extensive efforts to support young people, citing over 60 events held by the ministry in the past year alone.
This, he said, is a remarkable feat considering there are only 52 weeks in a year. Of those, 26 events were held internationally, showcasing Guyana’s vibrant cultural presence on the global stage.

Among the highlights were the Literary Arts Festival and the introduction of the Dancehall Monarch competition, which has quickly become one of the most popular entries in the Mashramani celebrations.
“We invested in training for songwriters and stage craft performance and music production. The business of music, audio engineering, music trending in and as a result, I want to say that now our artists, our performers, our musicians, their music is now trending in the Caribbean. And our performers are

making good money both in Guyana now and going overseas. They’re being booked overseas and making money,” Minister Ramson said.