For the first phase of the GNS, hundreds of persons were enlisted/employed and assigned to various locations. Among these, were a number of university students who had to do compulsory National Service before they were allowed to graduate from the University of Guyana.

There was an essential military component to the GNS, which was not accepted across the board by the majority of its participants.

This related especially to Amerindians, East Indians and a number of small-statured Africans, and became one of the principal reasons why it was opposed by a large segment of the population.

Matched against the revised GNS programmes facilitated by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, under the PPP/C regime in the areas of skills training, the present programmes are m more modern, comprehensive, inclusive and dynamic.

Forty-five per cent of the young people in the current programme are from the interior areas. That has never happened in the history of the previous National Service.

Many senior officials, once associated with the GNS from 1972 and past participants of the scheme, agree that the GNS of the Burnham/Hoyte era was not structured to meet the needs of today’s youths but may have been suitable for the youths of that time.

An analysis of the centres operational under the Guyana National Service since 1972 to 1992, shows that the Kuru Kuru centre was the only centre used for skills training. This aspect has continued to date and expanded minus the military component, and it is being well received by the youths involved in the programme.

This also accounts for the large number of applications received yearly for places in the skills training programmes from all ten administrative Regions, making the programmes facilitated by the Ministry much more accessible than the previous National Service.

“The impression has been given that with the absorption of the National Service, that ended any opportunities for kids that were poor working class kids. This is absolutely fallacious.” Minister Teixeira said of accusations made regarding the Guyana National Service and its present programmes in place for the development of young people.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport continues to vigorously formulate plans and programmes to facilitate skills training for young people. The programme does not limit opportunities to any one group. Neither are there any discriminatory practices.

Speaking of the Ministry’s skills training programmes Teixeira said, “This programme reaches kids from all ten Administrative Regions where they can apply, get the forms and are interviewed and have a chance to write a needs assessment test.”

From 1982 to 1985, GNS was not taking in any new recruits because every year the recruits were then absorbed, after being trained into the GNS and at a certain point there was no space.

National Service today is being guided by the national needs and the future of our youths. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) prioritises skills training for today’s youths, and mirrors the needs identified by the youths themselves.