AFTER building its 2015 campaign on similar promises and having a tenure in office marred by unfulfilled commitments, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) stands before the nation, once again, presenting a grand vision for the youth of Guyana.

This time, the APNU is promising a National Youth Empowerment Scheme, which, according to them, is aimed at empowering the youths of Guyana. While this bold promise may sound compelling and ambitious, for those familiar with the coalition’s record from 2015-2020, the promises sound hollow as they did in 2015.

Back then, the APNU vowed to transform the lives of young people with job creation, youth representation in governance, and development programmes to empower them. But the reality that followed told a completely different story.

During a Friday press conference, Leader of the APNU, Aubrey Norton, said his party believes the youth must not only lead themselves but also be trained to do so.

“In this regard, the APNU will establish a National Youth Leadership Training Programme and the development of national youth training centres in all Regions of Guyana. The National Youth Empowerment Scheme is aimed at empowering the youth of Guyana,” he promised.

One of the first blows to youth empowerment by the APNU+AFC’s term in office came with the downgrading of the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport to a mere department within the Ministry of Education. This reduced its autonomy and budget allocations for youth empowerment programmes.

But now, Norton is promising that the APNU will empower national athletes, telling them they will earn a liveable income and full sponsorship when they represent Guyana. Youth representation under the APNU+ Alliance For Change (AFC) government also suffered. Despite initial pledges to elevate young voices, the APNU+ AFC coalition government in Guyana from 2015 to 2020 took several actions which resulted in youth marginalisation.

“The APNU does not see the youth as a problem; we see them as a resource to develop. It is to this end we will develop a programme to ensure that the youth as a human resource will be developed,” Norton said on Friday last.

But during its time in office from 2015-2020, youth employment programmes, especially those servicing hinterland communities, were disbanded or replaced, limiting opportunities for young people in those areas. Youth also bore the brunt of unemployment following the closure of the call centre in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), under the APNU+AFC administration. This decision led to job losses for over 100 young people.

These past failures have fuelled widespread skepticism toward APNU’s 2025 promises, which mirror the unfulfilled pledges of 2015, marked by inaction, stagnation, and broken commitments.