The Youth Coalition for Transformation (YCT) – the youth arm of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – is calling out the Government on a number of burning issues, amongst them the vaccination campaign for HPV, the continued employment of the Police Commissioner and Government’s position on the recent election of the Speaker of the National Assembly.
The YCT held a press conference on Friday at which it raised the issues and said it will protest when it finds it necessary to do so.
Regarding the election of Raphael Trotman of the Alliance For Change as Speaker, the body said that the Government should respect the will of the people and let Parliament work for the people. “The continued utterance of condemnation against the Speaker serves to undermine the integrity of Parliament to work for the people,” the YCT said.
It said that doing this is tantamount to contempt for the people including their own supporters “who want cooperation and coexistence by using the people’s assembly to compromise for consensus.”
The YCT expressed admiration for Moses Nagamootoo of the Alliance For Change who they said put aside his personal interest in becoming Speaker of the National Assembly and in so doing acknowledged principle over personality and personal interest. “We deem this most befitting in the interest of the people of Guyana,” the YCT said.
On the issue of the Commissioner of Police and the allegations of rape levelled against him, the YCT said that the Government seems to be creating the avenue for Henry Greene to resume duties as Commissioner. It said it would not stand idly by and watch “such grave miscarriage of decency to prevail in Guyana.” Further, the YCT blames the Police Commissioner and the Minister of Home Affairs for the shooting of APNU protesters on December 6, 2011, when persons were shot in their backs while walking away and while on the ground,” he said.
On the preparations for the 2012 national budget, the YCT said that it appears as though APNU is the only party that seems agile and serious in getting down to the business of this budget, mentioning David Granger’s proposal of a tripartite budget committee. “These developments herald the beginning of real consultation and deliberations within the National Assembly in policy development and reflect well for good governance,” the body said.
“The YCT expects a comprehensive budget that fully takes into account the plight of the common man and the poor whilst serving to make Guyana investor friendly to stimulate growth and reduce unemployment.
YCT expects to see in the budget a reduction of the VAT, increase in old age pension, increase in the wage of the nation’s teachers, nurses, police officers and other public servants,” YCT said.
The youth body said that it is advising all persons against getting vaccinated with the anti-HPV vaccine Gardasil, in a campaign that the Ministry of Health intends to roll out to women and girls.
The body is calling on the health ministry to reveal what the incidence and prevalence of cervical cancer is and how this data ranks in terms of mortality and morbidity compared to other diseases affecting women and girls in Guyana.
“What kind of education/informed consent of parent/guardians was undertaken prior to the vaccination? What is the expected cost and who is paying?” the YCT asked.
The YCT reiterated its call for the total end to the radio monopoly and for fair access to NCN radio and television. “YCT recognizes the intensification of PPP propaganda and unbalanced reporting of public affairs in broadcasting to the Guyanese people…we demand fair access to NCN. We demand an end to the radio monopoly.
We demand also for the granting of television licences in liberalizing of the airwaves for the people of Linden and Region 10,” the YCT said.
