Scout Association turns 110!
─ commended for contribution to youth development
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, November 9, 2019
Thomas Lands in Georgetown was a sea of yellow, green and brown as scouts from across the country gathered at the Headquarters of the Guyana Scout Association for the 2019 National Camp. The event is being held to observe the association’s 110th anniversary.
Officially opening the camp was His Excellency, President David Granger – a former scout himself – who noted that the organisation has contributed significantly to the country’s youth development.
“Scouting is carefree, but it is not careless, it is guided by a code, and that code has survived for over a century… Young people are taught the values of respect for one another, respect for property, respect for the law and respect for the environment,” President Granger explained.
The Head of State reminded the scouts that the future of Guyana belongs to the country’s youth, and they have a responsibility to ensure it is protected. He noted that young people will need the requisite skills and knowledge to do so and their organisation is one such place to learn these abilities.
“You, young people, need to be prepared to assume the inevitable responsibility… you, young people, can find no better organisation than the Guyana Scout Association to prepare yourselves for the future and the Scout Association is the best organisation for you to do so.”
President Granger expressed the hope to see the scouting association grow even bigger with troops stationed in every region. He suggested that the National Camp, which is being hosted in Georgetown, be held in different locations around the country. This, he said, will award scouts the opportunity to explore and experience the natural wonders of their homeland.
The Scout Association of Guyana is the largest and oldest youth organisation in Guyana and has been contributing to the development of youths since 1909. It is the first to be formed in the Caribbean, second in South America and fifth globally after scouting was founded in England two years prior. His Excellency is the Patron for Guyana’s Association.