Progressive Youth Organisation

By Venessa Deosaran

The Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) is said to be Guyana’s oldest youth organisation, which builds a sense of patriotism and volunteerism, equipping youths to be future leaders. This has been its mandate for more than six decades.
Many of our effective ministers and presidents had their start with the PYO, and as such the organisation continues to build on its policies to produce future leaders of Guyana.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) from the time of its formation, saw youth as a vital section of the population to be effectively mobilized if the ultimate success of freeing Guyanese from the shackles of colonialism and persisting oppression was going to be achieved in a lasting manner. Thus, work began to create a youth arm. The establishment of a youth arm of the PPP was endorsed at the party’s second congress in March 1952, and was implemented September 6 of that year – just two years after the PPP was formed in 1950.
The name adopted at the formation of the section was the Pioneer Youth League, and it shared the aims and objectives of its mother organisation, the PPP. These included the struggle for independence, the need for constitutional reform to provide for self-government at all levels; the need for economic development to provide equal economic opportunities for all; the need for employment opportunities to be given to Guyanese on a priority basis and labour legislation to ensure the rights of workers, especially the young labour force.
The PYO is said to be the first youth group that courageously and fearlessly brought youths to the forefront of the struggle for national independence. The sacrifice was such that a number of its members were jailed and lives were lost. Not only was the PYO actively involved in marches, literature campaigns and picketing exercises, but it also aligned itself with international youth organisations where it received active support for its cause. But in the fight for independence, the PYO’s battle was not all political – there was a PYO football team; PYO “Revolution” steel band and a PYO choir.
The PYO’s efforts came to fruition on May 26, 1966 – despite the earlier British reply to PYO independence demands insisting that it could never – a famous word – surrender its responsibilities. They had imposed emergency laws, imprisoned several PPP, PYO, WPO leaders and called in the army, but failed in the end to prevent the result that had been inevitable from the start – Guyana’s independence.
After a period of dormancy, the PYO was reinvigorated after a party congress in 1967. It endured many challenges to be known today as one of the long-standing youth organisations in the Caribbean.

Gratitude to PYO
Isahak Basir (CCH) is a venerable member of PYO since the early 60s and knows firsthand the benefits of being a member of this organisation. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Basir said that the organisation was like a university for the working class and other social groups.
“This organisation developed international relations and prepared youths for the political, economic, social and cultural dispensations to make Guyana what it is today. As a PPP representative in early 60s, I had to demand more from the PYO groups in all the coastal regions of Guyana. It was at that period of strikes, arson, bombing and communal terror. We had to organise the PYO to help run the ferries, clean the streets of Georgetown, volunteer at hospitals, organise security at schools, train stations; as well as provide bodyguards for patriotic workers who were not on strikes,” Basir recalled.
In his hometown of Essequibo, Basir served the organisation faithfully. Basir is an American-trained dental technician. He served, as much as he could, in all aspects of the PYO, and as a leader in the organisation his lectures on many topics and his relations with other social groups gave him the chance to prepare young people in all aspects of academic, social and political needs.
“The struggle was not easy. In selling a Cuban newspaper (The Granma), I was jailed for two days in the Charity police station in 1965. Being part of the PYO I endured a lot. I was wrongfully imprisoned and I was shipwrecked for two days at Shell Beach in the North West District when the party boat broke down. At Anna Regina Community Centre ground, I was picketing when a police inspector spat in my face. They searched my home every two weeks. In 1965, at Jacklow in the Pomeroon River, the police opened my camera but could not see his image on the screen and the camera was seized. In 1960, there was a rumour where the Cubans were coming to invade Guyana and were to assemble at my home in Jacklow Pomeroon; the police and army staked out the bushes around my home for days. When a buoy, which would anchor the water-plane at Charity, floated to my stelling they claimed it was the submarine the Cubans came with,” reminisced Basir.
The advocate endured numerous trials, all in his patriotic service to the PYO. Despite his challenges, he had the opportunity to witness great achievements, and rubbed shoulders with great people. Basir said he had the privilege to assist the Prime Minister Sam Hinds to prepare notes for his debut in politics in 1991 at Charity Pomeroon. Basir also mentioned he took 14 students to the U.S.S.R. in 1968 for one year – three of whom are current ministers.
“It was the PYO that prepared me for service for Guyana; I am still the icon of our national parliament when I removed the “Ceremonial Mace” in 1991 to allow Dr Cheddi Jagan to speak, after being banned for two years. I had the honour to be in the company of the architect of the PYO: Dr Jagan. Through the PYO, I had the opportunity to shake hands with Fidel Castro, Maurice Bishop, Michael Manley, wife of Mansor Della, former US President Jimmy Carter and her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 1995 at  Castellani House. I am a national awardee. The PYO was the gateway to what I accomplished and it can do that for all youths who are willing to fight for freedom,” Basir related.

PYO today
Today, the PYO  now known as Progressive Youth Organization, is still active across our country. Recently, it was involved in the national road safety campaign where hundreds of PYO youths came out to repaint pedestrian crossings in several regions.
On September 6, the PYO celebrated its 60th anniversary at a grand event at the Red House. The organisation completed a successful series of activities in celebration of being a pioneer youth movement in Guyana.
Several groups of the PYO in various regions on the coastland participated in a nationwide cleaning campaigns in several communities, among other activities, in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six.  This is in line with the efforts by the PYO to spread awareness regarding one of our modern challenges; an increase in the generation of waste and improper disposal habits, particularly in the more populated housing areas.
Groups from Region Two conducted a tree planting exercise in keeping with the Low Carbon Development Strategy drive but also to maintain the structural integrity of roads next to some of the main drainage canals in Affiance, Essequibo Coast.
A coordinated effort between the Diamond/Grove, East Bank Demerara PPP and PYO groups also resulted in a massive clean-up campaign of the Diamond Diagnostic Centre compound, making it more environmentally friendly.
In Region Three, the PYO spearheaded an initiative at Leonora, W.C.D. to restore the monument of Kowsilla, a martyr who was killed on March 6, 1964.
Lectures on the history of the PYO were also hosted by the Lethem PYO group in Region Nine and at Anna Regina, Region Two, among others.
The main activity was a grand cultural show at Red House, Main Street on September 6, which saw the participation of several diverse PYO groups from across the country. The large audience was addressed by His Excellency President Donald Ramotar and several other leaders.
The activities held were all designed to promote the various skills and volunteerism of Guyanese youths. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)