Dear Editor,
After over twenty years of neglect, our young people need to be given attention and guidance in securing a bright future for themselves so they can make a meaningful contribution to our country. First of all, a national youth policy needs to be drafted after consultations with youths throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. Each youth group as well as other individuals should be given the opportunity to air their views on the needs of the youths and the way forward for youth development.
It is my humble view that urgent attention should be given to our young people in order to bring them back into line. They were allowed to go astray over the years because the previous government had no interest in youth development and youth empowerment. Our new government must now provide our young people with the training and skills that they need in order to become productive citizens.
I wish to suggest that the Kuru Kuru Training Centre become the first National Youth Service Training Centre. Kuru Kuru should be expanded and its curriculum widened to provide for a larger intake of young people who desire a second chance in achieving a skill and becoming a disciplined person.
Editor, this country over the years has wasted taxpayers’ money and has squandered our hard-earned funds. It is time that we use our money to secure the future of our country and there’s no other way but to invest it in our young people.
This is our country. Our country has great potential.
For far too long we have been allowing foreigners to reap the benefits of our great rain forest; we must now prepare our young people to work the forest for the benefit of this country. Each year thousands of young people leave school and find that they cannot find a job. We must give them the opportunity to be trained to be productive citizens. I wish to urge the Government of Guyana to have the first National Youth Service Centre ready for September 2016.
While attention is being placed on the creation of the National Youth Service, we must place emphasis on the development of the University of Guyana. We need to get serious about the university; too much money is being spent on this institution and we are not seeing the returns. The Ministry of Education must also provide the resources to make our vocational centres more relevant. We must ensure that these centres are adequately staffed and that our students attend classes regularly.
Even as the government ponders what to do with the building at the corner of Princes and High streets, I wish to suggest that it be turned into a National Training Centre for the disadvantaged youths of Georgetown. We can never go wrong with investing in our youths. They are the future of our country.
Yours faithfully,
Clive Fredericks
