News

By Ravena Gildharie
THE third edition of Guyana’s Youth Parliament took place this past week with 40 secondary students from across the country, who got direct exposure to the law-making process and witnessed firsthand one of the highest arms of Democratic administration upheld by the National Assembly.

Staged for the first time in a one-week format from August 6 to 12, 2017, the initiative engaged the youth in a comprehensive interactive, educational and fun-filled schedule aside from the parliamentary debates that characterised previous sessions. It was staged under the theme “Our Generation, Our Voice to Inspire, Encourage, Impact.”
On August 10, the Youth Parliament debated four motions at the end of which the government’s side of the house emerged the winner of the 2017 debate. Guyana’s Education Minister, Nicolette Henry, led the panel of judges which included Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Shalimar Hack and Dr Valerie Leung.

“You all are winners in your own right and we noted that you displayed intelligence, confidence and communication skills,” Henry told the youth.

‘Public Health Minister’ of the winning team,Tyriq Scott, was awarded Best Debater while ‘Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister’ on the Opposition side, Sherlyn Semple was awarded Best Speaker.

During the debate, the government’s side successfully defended the ‘Capping of CSEC subjects’, Combating Suicide and The Establishment of a local oil refinery. These motions were brought by the Oposition side of the House.

Parliamentarians unanimously supported the government’s motion for the United Nations Secretary General to move to the International Court of Justice to settle the long-standing Guyana/Venezuela border controversy.

Earlier, on August 8, the Youth Parliamentarians elected Nia Williams as ‘Prime Minister’ to lead the government’s side against the Opposition led by Zóé Sills. Tyrese Johnson was elected Speaker of the Sitting.

The 2017 Youth Parliament included a formal opening ceremony, interactive motivational sessions with current Parliamentarians from both sides of the House, research and rehearsals exercises, a movie night, a glamorous dinner reception, a tour of Georgetown and an award ceremony.

“We are moulding future leaders here…and we are always evolving by building on past experiences to make it a more well-rounded initiative,” coordinator of the Youth Parliament, Jocette Bacchus, told this publication. She noted the initiative as a tool to motivate and drive team spirit among the youth by involving them in parliamentary democracy, build self-confidence and leadership capability and promote public speaking.

Offering practical experience to the youth, the programme educates students on principles of a democratic constitution and helps them understand the mindset, decorum and skill required of those in such fora.

Bacchus said it was Speaker of the National Assembly, Barton Scotland’s idea to extend the initiative beyond one day and to make it more exciting for a lasting impression on the minds of all participants.

Youth Parliament, popular among Commonwealth nations, was first held in Guyana in 2000 and continued up until 2013. It was resuscitated in 2015 with support from the Education Ministry which ensures requests for participants meet all secondary schools and that the criteria of the programme are met.

In previous years, there were representatives from the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) and the Ptolemy Reid Institute. This year, it involved students from nine schools across all Administrative Regions except Region Two and for the first time, there were participants from at least two private schools. The students were also joined by some of their teachers. The Pomeroon/Supenaam representatives reportedly suffered transportation setbacks.

There were participants from schools such as Port Kaituma Secondary in Region One, Apex Academy in Region Four, Novar Secondary in Region Five, Paramakatoi Secondary in Region Eight and the McKenzie High School in Region 10.

Parliamentary exposure
Fifteen-year-old, Koby John of Three-Mile Secondary in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was overjoyed to have been chosen to be part of this year’s Youth Parliament, as he was not a debater like most of the students selected from various institutions. He described the experience as “very informative” where he “met a lot of interesting people and learnt a lot about Guyana’s Constitution, especially through the research process.” He took on the role of ‘Shadow Education Minister’ to debate limitations on CSEC subjects.

Sabrina Cyril of Katoonarib in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), and a fifth-form student at Sand Creek Secondary in the Rupununi, said she was proud to represent the Indigenous People’s Affairs in her debate on the border issue. The experience, she noted, was important to her as a hinterland student, since it improved her knowledge and helped build her skills at debating. She previously contested in the JOF Haynes Debating Competition and is gearing up to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations next year.

Ruth Wilson of St Joseph High School in Georgetown has also led her school’s debating team as the first speaker. At Youth Parliament 2017, she debated oil and gas as ‘  Shadow Natural Resources Minister’.

“The experience has been challenging, but I am always up for a challenge. I met a lot of new people and we got to share ideas and to work as a group…I think it is important for us to experience Parliament this way, being able to voice our opinions and realising that our voice matters. It gives us the freedom to express ourselves and this is one of the main aspects of the rights of the child, and I hope every child can be made aware of this right,” Wilson outlined.

Shimram Ram of Berbice High School, Region Six, also hopes to use this parliamentary initiative to up his debating skills, while Cassidy Burnett of Zeeburg Secondary in Region Three( West Demerara -Essequibo Islands), said her presentation on suicide allowed her to highlight a critical social issue affecting the country’s young people.

Back in 2015, Eden Corbin, was a student of the Bishop’s High School’s Sixth Form when he took part in Youth Parliament. Driven by the role and importance of the initiative to national youth development, he was this year’s assistant coordinator and one of six mentors for the youth parliamentarians.

“This programme equips you with the type of knowledge that changes your outlook and you begin to see things differently. I came here in 2015 and when I shared the experience with my friends, many of them were eager to come and be part of the process too, so it’s catching on like wildfire,” related Corbin, now a student at the University of the West Indies.

Impact on youth
He explained that the programme exposes youth to the parliamentary arena in a way that teaches them to think analytically and not to accept things the way they are.
“It builds capacity and changes your whole mindset,” he highlighted.

University of Guyana (UG) student, Anthony Judah Jordan, participated in the 2015 Youth Parliament from the Christianburg- Wismar Secondary School and related to the 2017 participants: “After occupying the seat of ‘Shadow Finance Minister’, my desire to serve Guyana politically was birthed and [created] a passion on the inside that caused me to pursue International Relations at the University of Guyana.”

He added, “Youth Parliament 2015 was a major catalyst of change in my life, it impacted my ideological perspective of my country and helped me realise that I possess the potential of being a great asset to my beautiful country, Guyana.”

For Shawn Shewram, who previously attended St Roses High, the experience at Youth Parliament 2017 was “electrifying.”

“From the many enlightening presentations given by persons holding high positions, to the bonding sessions among students while preparing speeches; and even to the farewell evening function, it was all laced with something distinctly refreshing from other similar events I have participated in,” Shewram indicated.

Public Relations Officer (ag) at Parliament, Yannick December, explained that the activities of Youth Parliament 2017 included a special ethic and parliamentary decorum training administered by Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes. The youth also got the opportunity to participate in the Guyana leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay when it passed through Georgetown earlier in the week.

He said it was intended that the participants would return to their schools and share with other students and youth from their areas, the experience and knowledge gained. He highlighted that past youth parliamentarians have been instrumental in helping to organise meetings during the Speaker’s Community Outreach Programme.

The award ceremony was another feature added to the 2017 edition, with prizes including a plaque, laptop and inscription of the awardee’s name to be mounted at the Parliament Building.