–Dr. Jagdeo says; highlights how gov’t is focusing on empowering youths

THE future leaders of tomorrow are at the heart of Guyana’s national development and according to the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the government, recognising this, continues to push its youth policy that complements this vision.

While commenting on the opposition’s attempts to use window dressing to create a façade that they cared for the youths while in office from 2015-2020, the General Secretary on Thursday during a press conference at Freedom House, Georgetown, expounded on how the government has integrated youths into its shared vision for a brighter Guyana.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali stands as a manifestation of how the administration prioritises youths, instead of creating a leadership of fossils, Dr. Jagdeo pointed out, emphasising that young people are genuinely integrated into the development of the PPP and government.

The General Secretary also highlighted how youth mobilisation efforts have catapulted the membership of the PPP’s youth arm- the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO).

Now, the party boasts 15,000 youth members, representing every region and race in Guyana, he disclosed.

While the initial target was 5,000, this target has been tripled even as the governing PPP continues to encourage more youths to play an active role in Guyana’s development.

He stated that some political party’s notion of a youth policy is narrow and only focuses on culture and sports.

However, this is not the case for the PPP, as the General Secretary reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering young people.

Dr. Jagdeo said: “We believe young people are a part of the entire vision for the country, because they have interest in education, they have interest in health care. They want to own their own home, they want to get a good paying job, they want to have recreational time to travel. They want to live in secure homes.”

Understanding how important youths are for development, the General Secretary said that this is why the government does not “pigeonhole young people into the corner.”

“We don’t do it as window dressing like some political parties. Some don’t even do the window dressing like the last government was, as I said, before, a gerontocracy like only old people could have made it into the government.”

Dr. Jagdeo also commended the enthusiasm of youths from diverse backgrounds, who have rallied to support the party’s efforts.