Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony
Government has announced that it was forced to discard a draft National Youth Policy (NYP) document after the text was found to be substandard.
Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony, during the recent budget debate, told the National Assembly that the NYP will be further delayed, as the document did not meet the required standards.
Dr Anthony said despite government having got assistance from the United Nations Development Programme to hire a consultant to prepare and upgrade the current youth policy, the work was not done properly.
According to Dr Anthony, the work of the previous consultant that was brought in from Australia in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was not up to the standard that Guyana demanded. “This is why we did not renew her contract,” Dr Anthony added. He explained that the decision was made after the consultant handed in the preliminary report to an advisory body set up by the ministry and the UNDP. Dr. Anthony said government’s plan is to revise the existing youth policy that was created in the 1990’s. This has become necessary because of the time difference and its evolving changes.
He pointed out, however, that his ministry is in the process of recruiting another consultant, this time one who can provide a more professional and acceptable policy, to prepare another document. The minister noted that the policy has to be redone with special emphasis on addressing issues facing youths in Guyana.
People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member Africo Selman said the implementation of a National Youth Policy would represent the government’s genuine commitment to implementing programmes that are critical to youth development and empowerment.
