Policy needed to cultivate youth potential -PNCR
Stabroek News
June 14, 2003
An examination by the PNCR of the work of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has revealed that there is no structured framework for the development of youths so that they could achieve their full potential.
The party revealed its findings during its weekly press briefing held at the party’s Sophia Headquarters on Thursday.
In a statement read by party member Raphael Trotman, the PNCR said that the phenomenon of many young men turning to crime is a reflection of the PPP/C’s failure to develop a serious long-term policy for Guyanese youths. The PNCR is confident that urgent policy formulation that addresses justice and rehabilitation issues for young offenders is essential to the arresting of the present downward slide.
“The PPP/C has to understand that youth and youth issues are not areas for political domination and control...what is needed is a cohesive, coherent and comprehensive youth policy,” the statement said.
The party cited the issue of the President’s Youth Choice Initiative and said that because the President was not involved in the day-to-day youth development issues, facilities were being repaired and constructed which were out of sync with the Ministry’s managing and co-ordinating capabilities. This has resulted in millions of Lotto funds being spent on projects which could now be considered ‘white elephants’, the party argued.
The nation must allow youths to be the protagonists of their own development instead of being merely recipients of state support, the party said, adding that youths must be provided with the foundation and mechanism for youth participation on socio-economic development.
The PNCR called for urgent action to avert the dangers facing the nation and made the point that a lot of work was necessary to ensure that the environment was created for youths to achieve their full potential.
