Press Releases

The Guyana Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association joined with the rest of the Commonwealth countries to commemorate Commonwealth Day 2015 on Monday, 9th March, 2015, under the theme: “A Young Commonwealth”.  In keeping with this year’s theme which aptly exemplifies one of the Commonwealth’s greatest principles -youth involvement, the Guyana Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association organised a sitting of a Youth Parliament.

This activity involved the participation of thirty-five (35) youths between the ages of 14-17 from secondary schools across the ten Administrative Regions of Guyana. Students were brought to the Capital City, Georgetown, two days prior to the debate and attended training sessions on parliamentary etiquette and decorum, the democratic process, parliamentary procedures, etcetera. Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Raphael Trotman, , former Members of Parliament Dr. Vindya Persaud and Mrs. Cathryn Hughes, and staff of the Parliament Office served as mentors for the students and assisted them in developing supporting or opposing arguments on the motion. The participants assumed the roles of Speaker, Clerk, Deputy Clerk, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Ministers of Government and Private Members of the Opposition and Government.

The intense marathon debate, which lasted over four hours, saw participants passionately and strongly arguing an Opposition tabled motion titled “PROVISION OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTHS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING OF THEIR COUNTRY”. At the end of the debate the Opposition team emerged victorious with Mr. Phillipe Walker, the Leader of the Opposition, being named best speaker.

The competition was judged by Speaker Trotman, along with Minister of Education, Ms. Priya Manickchand, Chairperson of the Rights of the Child Commission, Ms. Aleema Nazir and Assistant Representative of the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), Ms. Patrice LaFleur.

The students were also treated to a dinner reception at the Pegasus Hotel, Guyana, where they received certificates of participation and prizes. It is expected that the sitting of Youth Parliament would become a yearly activity.