Regency Suites Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown
The second consultation for the drafting of the National Youth Policy saw a positive response from youths when it was staged on Saturday at the Regency Suites Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown.
Speaking at the consultation, United States for International Development (USAID) representative Glenn Bradbury told the youths that they are the soon-to-be leaders of Guyana, and it is their obligation to ensure a better future for everyone.
Bradbury charged the National Youth Council Steering Committee members to be committed and to understand the value of what they doing, adding that they are the voices of youth.
He also emphasised that young people must stay and work to develop their country, making reference to a recent newspaper article which stated that 80 percent of persons who graduate from the University of Guyana migrate. “That is not good enough,” he declared.
Meanwhile, former member of St Lucia’s National Youth Council Andrew Rhikkie Alexander pointed out to the steering committee members that there will be challenges, but they must remain strong.
“I say you press on, move on with passionate intensity and with peaceful militant non-compliance.”
The National Youth Policy, which is currently being crafted to address existing and emerging youth development challenges, is likely to be completed by year-end. Consultation began in September and is expect to be completed sometime this month.
Policy consultant, Barbadian Derek Alleyne, is being assisted by the National Youth Steering Committee and the National Stakeholders’ Council. In September, Alleyne had told the media he and his team needed at least 2500 questionnaires completed from at least 15 villages across Guyana to give them the necessary data to craft the policy.
After the data collection, he disclosed that a draft youth policy will be prepared and sent to individuals in the various communities, community leaders and focus groups for review, before it is sent to the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry and the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) for assessment. The team will then meet with Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony and CYP members, and if they have no objections, the document will be accepted.
