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Home > NEWS > Young Ramson challenges Gov’t on youth involvement in Cabinet, Budget
PPP MP Charles Ramson Jr
PPP MP Charles Ramson Jr

Young Ramson challenges Gov’t on youth involvement in Cabinet, Budget

 

NEWLY sworn parliamentarian for the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Charles Ramson Jr, has come out to blaze the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition Government for what he calls the side-lining of youth after the party won the May 11 election. Ramson, a young lawyer and son of former Attorney General Charles Ramson Sr, in his debut address to the National Assembly yesterday, said the now Government “rode the wave of youth to the seat of power”, but he questioned their actions toward youth in the coalition Government’s Cabinet and the budget currently being debated in the National Assembly.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings

Ramson challenged the decision of the David Granger Administration to absorb what was formerly the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport into what is now the Ministry of Education with a Department of Culture, Youth and Sport.
The Ministries of Education, and Culture, Youth, and Sport were treated separately, but have now been merged into one with Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine at the helm.
“First the APNU+AFC Government relegated and demoted the Ministry of Youth into a subsumed, subordinate positon and a programme of the Ministry of Education,” Ramson said, adding that his party believes there should be a Youth Minister and that young people “should occupy the seats of power in all spheres of the state.”
“The absence of youth representation from the coalition Government MPs and the Cabinet is unconstitutional,” Ramson said before the House as the Government side erupted in laughter. “You laugh at the youth but the next election, the youth will be laughing at you because they will be saying good-bye and good riddance,” Ramson charged.
Ramson believes the budget should have been guided by and focused on youth. He went on to cite Article 28 of the Constitution which speaks to the right of young people to “responsible participation” in Guyana’s development. “Leaving us out of Government and Cabinet does exactly the opposite.”
The young MP went on to challenge the idea of a draft youth policy mentioned vaguely in Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s budget speech recently. “We deserve more than two measly paragraphs in your budget presentation, and more than just platitudinal statements about a draft youth policy.”
Citing allocations in the 2015 budget, Ramson said only some $100M had been allocated for youth, compared to the then PPP/C Government in 2014 which budgeted $535M for current expenditure and $961M for capital expenditure.
Ramson’s remarks did not sit well with Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings. Dr Cummings, who spoke directly after Ramson, challenged that in 23 years of Government, there was an increase in youth unemployment by some 40 percent under the former PPP/C.
Cummings was challenged to produce the report where the information could be found. She cited the presentation of the Finance Minister.
A study from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) titled “Youth are our future: The Imperative of Youth Employment for Sustainable Development” placed Guyana’s youth unemployment as hovering around the 40 percent mark.
Cummings went on to challenge the lack of the former PPP/C Government to implement a national youth policy, and she said a draft of such a policy was done in less than 100 days of the APNU+AFC Government.
Former Culture, Youth and Sport Minister under the PPP/C Government, Dr Frank Anthony, attempted to challenge Cummings on the floor but was barred by the Speaker for not having grounds for interrupting Dr Cummings’ presentation.
Another PPP MP, Vishwa Mahadeo, speaking during his debut address to the National Assembly, corrected Dr Cummings that the country’s first youth policy was completed in 1993, and that the youth policy now referred to in Cumming’s address was commenced under the PPP/C Administration.
The APNU+AFC coalition Government has taken criticism for the lack of youth representation in their list of representatives for the 11th Parliament. The only youth in the 33 seats of the APNU+AFC is Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira.
Notables youth MPs from the 10th Parliament between 2011 to 2015 like Vanessa Kissoon, Christopher Jones, and James Bond from the APNU, as well as Trevor Williams from the AFC were not given place in the 11th Parliament.

(Derwayne Wills )

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PNC was plastered in Parliament for this broken promise:

 

"The young MP went on to challenge the idea of a draft youth policy mentioned vaguely in Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s budget speech recently. “We deserve more than two measly paragraphs in your budget presentation, and more than just platitudinal statements about a draft youth policy.”
Citing allocations in the 2015 budget,"

FM

Region 10’s Jermaine Figueira asks PPP where were the bright ideas for 23 years

Figuera spoke about the realities facing the citizens of his community and other parts of Guyana as he challenged the Opposition to go beyond being "angry and bitter".

Region 10’s Jermaine Figueira asks PPP where were the bright ideas for 23 years

In what appeared as one of the most

precise and straight forward presentations

so far during the budget debates,

APNU+AFC Member of Parliament for Region 10,

Jermaine Figueira told the National Assembly

that he is confident that the new government

will do right for the youths of Guyana.

 

Figueira spoke about the realities

facing the citizens of his community

and other parts of Guyana as hechallenged the Opposition

to go beyond being “angry and bitter”.

 

During his maiden presentation to the National Assembly,

the Region 10 Member of Parliament said

Guyana will now be in a better position

to move forward now that

“the fish bone in our throat has been removed

and that monkey is no longer on our backs”.

 

He said under the PPP time in office,

citizens of Region 10 were marginalized

and stifled of development.

 

According to Figueira,

the community of Region 10 is now breathing

“with a renewed hope and

unrelenting aspirations

towards our development”.

 

The Linden resident

made an uninterrupted 19-minute contribution

to the ongoing budget debates

and while he set out several plans

for the development of the region,

he was keen on advising the opposition People’s Progressive Party

that its support was necessary.

 

Figueira said while he accepts criticisms

when they are warranted,

it is his belief that those

that have emanated from the opposition benches

over the last two days are no doubt

birthed out of anger

and are of a myopic perspective.

 

The Member of Parliament noted that the PPP

has found itself on the “deserving side” of the House

having neglected the region for over two decades

because of its support for the now sitting government.

 

He chastised the PPP for now

pretending to have all the answers

to develop Guyana when it would have 

squandered opportunities during its 23 years in office.

 

“Region 10 wants to be the leader

in creating employment opportunities for Guyanese

and provide a skilled work force

to meet the demands of the vast development that Guyana

will be experiencing this year

and the years to come

under this rainbow of hope, coalition government”

 

Mr. Figueira said the new government

has accomplished many things in its first 100 days

that the previous government did not do in five years.

 

He pointed to the increase in the old age pension

and said even his 85-year-old grandfather

showcased a brighter “denture smile”

when he learnt that pensioners

will now be getting $17,000 per month

in their  old age pension.

 

He said he is confident that under the APNU+AFC government,

the youths of Guyana will see

more employment and development.

 

According to Figueira,

many communities across Guyana are faced

with the problem of youth unemployment.

 

The National Assembly was told by Figueira

that there will be a fresh approach

to issues of concern to youths.

 
 
 
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cain
Last edited by cain

The APNU+AFC coalition Government has taken criticism for the lack of youth representation in their list of representatives for the 11th Parliament.

 

The only youth in the 33 seats of the APNU+AFC is Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira.

FM

 

https://guyana.crowdstack.io/topic/31...oldiers-join-the-gdf

August 18, 2015

http://guyanachronicle.com/311...ldiers-join-the-gdf/

 

THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has managed to inspire a total of 311 youngsters to join its fold during its recent recruitment drive.According to a release from the Army, the new batch of recruits departed Base Camp Ayanganna on Friday for the Colonel John Clarke Military School at Tacama, in Berbice, and Base Camp Seweyo on the Linden Highway to undergo the Basic Recruit Training. Two hundred-and-eleven of them will undergo training at Tacama, whilst the remainder will be trained at Seweyo. The Basic Recruit Course, the Army explained, is geared to provide induction training for entrants at the Ordinary Rank level, and intended to produce fit, obedient, loyal and disciplined soldiers who possess high standards of academic and military skills. Following a rigorous 10-week training programme, those who were able to keep up with it will then be eligible to join their brothers in arms. The recruitment process, the second for the year, the Army said, commenced in June, and responses were received from applicants countrywide. The process lasted approximately two months, during which period the potential recruits were screened and tested during number of academic, physical and medical evaluations. Those who were successful were then interviewed by a select panel prior to their being selected for Basic Training. The Army says it remains resolute in satisfying its Constitutional mandate while at the same time affording young, able-bodied citizens the opportunity to serve Guyana and build a worthwhile career.

 

A platoon of recruits awaiting instructions prior to departing for the Colonel John Clark Military School at Tacama

Mitwah
Last edited by Mitwah
Originally Posted by cain:

How many intelligent ones had the PPP?

None.

I thought there is nothing on the planet more a waste of time than listening to kpop. I guess I was wrong. Listening  to this pompous bitc.h beats that.

 

I am going to listen to a kpop tune  simply because I insulted it and then go to bed.

 

FM

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