…as debates in the House do not take place in ‘a civilized manner’
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday challenged youth parliamentarians to set an example for elected members of the National Assembly. He issued the challenge at the opening of the Eleventh Session of the National Youth Parliament, at the Guyana International Convention Centre, Liliendaal.
According to the Head of State, this is important, as often, debates in the National Assembly do not take place in a “civilized manner”, and he urged the youth parliamentarians to always remember that their opponents should be treated with respect and decorum.
“Its an important lesson for our parliamentarians, the ones who sit in the National Parliament, because often the debates there are not characterised by civility; and so you have a very important role to play…(demonstrating) how things could be done in a new Guyana, a Guyana that is modern, inclusive, that respects people and shares opportunities with everyone,” he said.
He noted that for a very long time there has been the view that young people could not make a contribution to society at every level; and he expressed gratitude that the members of the Youth Parliament are helping to break the stereotype, “young people should be seen and not heard”.
President Jagdeo recalled his own experiences before being elected as President of Guyana.
He said, “We are breaking that stereotype at the national level, I remember my own experience when I became Minister of Finance and then President, many people had the view, who even had less experience than I, that somehow I had to seek wisdom from everyone around me before I make a decision. Sometimes you have to seek advice, but it does not mean that you cannot have a view of your own.”
To emphasise the importance of the opinions and roles of youths in Guyanese society, the president noted that the two top positions in the government, outside of the Prime Minister and the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, are in the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for which the portfolios are held by young people in their 30s.
“They (the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Foreign Affairs) are demonstrating, apart from many other young members of the Cabinet, that age does not affect performance; in fact it brings an energy and zeal apart, from skills, to much of the work that they do,” he stressed.
He expressed his appreciation that, through the Youth Parliament, now in its 11th year, participants are demonstrating that there is an increasing role for young people in society, at every level, who all have a major contribution to make in changing Guyana.
The President urged the young parliamentarians to continue to be engaged and to come forward and become visible role models to all Guyanese, particularly their peers.
He said the views and deliberations of the Youth Parliament are important and are intended to involve young people in making invaluable contributions to the total economic and political development of Guyana, as the Government recognises this important contribution, and supports a number of initiatives which give practical expressions to their commitment, including the National Youth Parliament.
The main debate during the National Youth Parliament Session was “Guyana’s democratic Framework is providing for a modern inclusive society.”
The National Youth Parliament is a forum which brings together young people from all across Guyana to express their views, ideas, and opinions, in an unrestricted and constructive manner, on issues relating to their development and that of national interest.