Dear Editor,
International Youth Day observed under the theme ‘The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production’ represents the opportunity for youth at home and abroad to reflect on the work, progress and struggles of all youths, regardless of race, class or ethnicity.
The truism is, youth is a time of developing potential, skill and abilities. Often, the progress of youths is time and again hindered, by social, political and economic challenges. In Guyana, we see how youths struggle with poverty, unemployment, and social issue. We believe that no challenge is insurmountable. However, it is important that Local and Central government provides opportunities and an enabling environment to maximize the potential of youths across all sectors and reduce the challenges that hinders development.
At the level of Council, we have recognized the need to engage youths, so that they can develop their skill and simultaneously contribute to the development of their respective communities. This was done, through the establishing of the Georgetown Green Volunteer Youth Corps.
Also, we have engaged youths through the community stakeholders’ programme which provided employment for more than 500 persons of which youth account for more than 70% thus providing employment for youths, instill the concept of ownership and evoking the spirit of neighbourliness. These programmes help meet the basic environmental and economic need of youths and their communities. It is the vision of the Council in 2017 and beyond that programmes and initiatives would be youth focused, thus catering for the development of youths in our local communities. Also, the Council has emphasized the restoration of parks and recreational facilities to cater for the developmental needs of youths.
As Mayor of Georgetown I would like to recognize the diligence and hard work of many of your youth groups that are involved in advocacy, training & education, volunteerism. We at Council would continue to support the work of our youths, since we are cognizant that youth are the future and present and therefore we must invest in their development.
Yours faithfully,
Patricia Chase Green J.P.
Mayor of Georgetown
