Hits and Jams should seek to work along with youths in developing them educationally

Aug 26, 2013 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Please permit me space in your letter column to publish this letter.
August 2013 marks significant achievements as we celebrate the abolition of slavery, the 250th anniversary of the Berbice Slave Rebellion in 1763 and the 190th anniversary of the Demerara slave Revolt of 1823.
Every August for the past thirteen years, the entertainers of Hits and Jams promote Summer Events commonly referred to as “Hits and Jams Summer…” Strangely, in 2013 the event takes on a new outlook, where the entertainers/promoters of Hits and Jams have gone to the extreme to publicly announced that through “Loan Zone”, persons can access loans ranging from $60,000.00 t0 $150,000.00.
What is its purpose? Mainly to purchase hair, nails, clothing and footwear! Further, I learnt that in order to be eligible, you have to solicit quotations from fashion stores, then submit the quotations to Hits and Jams to facilitate processing of the loan. What has gone into the heads of these people?
Repaying the loans is as follows: $60,000.00- monthly repayment of $6,700.00, while for $120,000.00 the monthly repayment is$ 11,700.00. Let us examine a few pointers; ninety-five percent (95%) of the persons hoping to attend these events will be youths.
From this percentage, hypothetically forty percent (40%) are likely to be youths who are unemployed. How will they be eligible for “Loan Zone”? What mechanism/s is/are in place to deal with this category?
In addition to complete outfit, there is still costs attached to the tickets ranging from $3,000.00, $4,000.00, $5,000.00 and as high as $10,000.00. Fellow young people when all this is spent, what happens next? How do you eat? How will the bills be paid? Etc.
As young people we should be wary at the state of our highest learning institution! The University of Guyana, where most of us should aspire to attend after completing Secondary and Vocational schools in order to better our academic qualifications.
It is starving for funds; the atmosphere within the classroom remains a challenge for students and Lecturers, inadequate furniture in the classrooms, along with other challenges. It would be beneficial for Hits and Jams to partner with the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) and invest monies towards the development of our young people, since the majority of students find difficulty paying their tuition, and the other necessities.
This group has a poor track record of giving back and can learn from some major corporate sponsors, such as Banks DIH, DDL, GT&T, DIGICEL and others.
Another fact that needs to be thoroughly examined is the accessing of soft loans from Banking Institutions to procure a motorcycle; there are a number of criteria one must satisfy; such as recommendation, job letter from an employer, inter alia inclusive of a 10% to 25% deposit, depending on the total cost for the item. If you do not satisfy the bank’s conditions, the loan is disapproved.
Yet, an entertainment group is saying to youth, “go get quotations and we will ensure that you are guaranteed a loan, for Hits and Jam events”. This I consider as “disrespectful to Guyanese Youths”.
Publicly, I challenge Hits and Jams Management to take a walk through areas in Albouystown, Tiger bay; Agricola, Buxton, Sophia and Linden to observe and simultaneously ascertain from villagers what are the plight of the young people in these communities.
Most times we are greeted with young men liming on the street corners, gambling, smoking, or involved in deviant acts. Why is this?
Simply put the Government and even people like Hits and Jams continue to fail the young people by not ensuring that available jobs are created and putting systems in place to guide them in their career path, rather than constantly promoting parties, since this is what they perceive of the youths from one particular ethnic makeup.
Young people! Let me remind you for those who have forgotten. It is under this PPP/C administration in 2011 that promises were made that two thousand (2000) jobs would be created once re-elected to office.
We soon will be approaching two (2) years and are yet to see those two thousand (2000) jobs. A classic example is the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, where its current labour force is predominately non-Guyanese, while the majority of our youth remain jobless in Guyana.
The Hits and Jam group should consider partnering with the Mayor and City Council in remedying the situations faced by residents in the Queenstown area. In the area, they are approximately three Government schools in the community, St. Gabriel’s Primary, New Comenius Primary and Queenstown Secondary Schools. Hits and Jams should seek to either partner or adopt one of the schools, work along with youths in developing them educationally.
In concluding, I call on all young people to remember that partying is not the gateway to development. We need an improved education system; we need good paying jobs and the enhancement of our communities. It is time we stand up against oppression, suppression, depression, regression and marginalization.
Annette Ferguson

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