“Youths are our future” – PM Nagamootoo
─ MOG launched their NY arm
By Rebecca Ganesh
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, June 6, 2019
As part of the 53rd Independence activities planned for the New York Diaspora, ‘Move on Guyana Inc’ launched their Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) under the theme ‘Our Youth – Moving Guyana forward to modern development.’
‘Move on Guyana’ (MOG) sets out to partner with individuals and organisations across the national spectrum, which share its goals, aspirations and vision for the overall development of Guyana, and to create opportunities for all of Guyana’s youth to prosper and live happy, fulfilling lives.
MOG hopes to aggressively pursue its objectives of mobilising the youth population and integrating youth leadership into the governance and development agenda of our country. Its intention is to work with policymakers and national stakeholders to conceptualise and implement policies and legislation, as well as other measures to advance youth empowerment and improve opportunities and the livelihood of young people throughout Guyana.
During the launch on Wednesday, MOG’s President Vishal Joseph explained that many of Guyana’s youth constantly express their need to get involved in government and Parliament, but he believes this should not be the only way that youth can contribute to the development of Guyana. “You can be leaders in your own community, you can govern from your home because it takes leaders like yourself to support each other.”
MOG’s Chairperson Rickford Burke reiterated the importance of youth participation in national development; starting with their full inclusion in the democratic process as registered voters.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) spoke with some of the persons attending the launch to garner their thoughts about the development of the youth as well as the further development of Guyana.
Clairmont Cadogan, a youth, had some harsh words for the youth in Guyana; he noted that if you are interested in moving forward with your life you cannot “sit down and wait on handouts from the government, you need to get up and get focused”. He explained too that persons need to educate themselves on the development of the sectors to be able to be integrated within specific industries.
Cadogan also reminded persons of the need for them to be registered to vote. “Youth, you have a major responsibility to do what is right, that is – you should get registered and go out and vote not just to have an identification card you need to go out and vote it is your democratic right to exercise your franchise.”
“Guyana is your first home; you must not abandon Guyana go back and invest. Put something back in Guyana and help develop Guyana,” were the sentiments of Wanda London, a vendor from Guyana, who now resides in New York. She stated that she regularly encourages her friends, young or old, to return to Guyana to invest in small businesses.
Dale Edinboro explained that he is happy to hear about all the infrastructural development in Guyana and said: “I hope we are on the right track in terms of the control of our resources, and I am looking forward to being at home, I would love to be able to vote in the next election.”
Also speaking at the launch of the local NGO, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo reiterated the need for young people to know their history and reflected on his childhood and the fight for Guyana’s Independence, as well as the inspiration which led to him entering politics.
“We must balance youth with maturity and experience or inject into the youths the qualities of experience and maturity, so when they begin to run things, they are running things with youth as their age and wisdom as their guide; that is what we want for the future,” the Prime Minister stated.
Images: Tejpaul Bridgemohan