– commits to supporting youth empowerment initiatives

PRIME MINISTER, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, on Wednesday, welcomed a delegation from the West Indies Junior Chamber International (JCI) during a courtesy visit at his Camp Street office.
The visiting team was led by JCI West Indies National President, Ms. Leycia Samuels, who was accompanied by JCI Guyana Executive Vice President, Mr. Gavin Thomas, and JCI Senator, Ms. Lisette Wills-Culley.

During the meeting, the JCI representatives shared an update on JCI Guyana’s milestone 61st anniversary and highlighted several upcoming initiatives aimed at empowering young people through leadership, innovation, and community action.

Prime Minister Phillips expressed his Government’s steadfast commitment to youth empowerment and welcomed the opportunity to explore collaborative efforts between JCI Guyana and the Office of the Prime Minister. He identified digital innovation, disaster risk reduction, youth leadership, and entrepreneurship as priority areas for potential partnership.

The Prime Minister also encouraged the delegation to engage other Government agencies, particularly the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, which received a significant budget increase under Budget 2025 to support national youth development programmes.

JCI, a global non-profit organisation with a presence in over 120 countries, works to empower young active citizens between the ages of 18 and 40 to create positive change in their communities through leadership development and civic engagement.