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Feb 27, 2016 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
The ruling coalition rode to power on the youth vote. Promises were made to the young people. The young people may feel that the promises which were made have not been delivered.
The youth vote is being sought after once again. This time no promises are being made. This time the young people are being thrown into the ring as candidates for local government councilors.
Is this all that the young people of Guyana are fit for? Are they only fit for the jobs of councilors – positions which previously were occupied mainly by older more matured persons?
The young vote is important and the young people must trade this vote for greater recognition. The young people must demand their rightful dues. They must not fall anymore for promises. They must not be used again. The young people should reject being offered only positions as candidates for councilors in municipalities and neighbourhood councils.
The young people need political power. The PPP was not shy in appointing young people to power. Under Cheddi Jagan, a very young Bharrat Jagdeo became the country’s Finance Minister. He later became the youngest president in the world and during his term appointed the youngest ever minister of the government in Guyana in Irfaan Ally. Young people got a break in government under the PPP. There is no reason why the coalition cannot do the same.
A great many old people are in government. Retirees are being rehired into senior positions in the government at an alarming rate.
At least two ministers, both over 70 years old, have been hospitalized since the coalition came to power. There could be a crisis if this trend continues, because there are far too many old people in the government.
The excuse of the government is that they needed the experience. The PNC has not held power in 23 years, and therefore it is argued that at this stage experience is needed in the early years of the experience. But how many of those within the present government have had any experience running a country, one of which only had a short period in government?
This means that there is only one person in the present Cabinet with any substantive experience in administering a country. Apart from him, there is no real experience in running the country.
The excuse about the need for experience does not hold, because even the old men do not have necessary experience in running a government. They are all learners and therefore there is no plausible reason why young persons could not have been given a break.
Even the advisers to the government are mainly persons who are retirees. Retired persons, especially from the military, are being brought out to work within the government, when there are many able and capable young people within the coalition who could have taken their place and perhaps even performed better.
The Heads of Boards of government corporations and agencies are also dominated by experience. Young people are represented on Boards, but not in proportion to their share of the population
During the Budget debate the opposition asked for the names and salaries of those employed within the government. They did not ask for their ages. That breakdown would have been interesting. It would have shown the fact that young people are not occupying as many senior positions within the administration as would have been expected of a government which rode to power on the backs of the young people.
Young people do not have the patience as some of the die-hard party supporters. Their loyalties have not fossilized. Something is saying that Benschop will get the youth vote in Georgetown!
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
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