Community Support Officers and their significant roles

Nov 24, 2013 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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By Valerie Garrido-Lowe MP
Every year hundreds of students graduate from hinterland secondary schools and very few of them get the opportunity to further their education or acquire jobs. The bulk of them, especially the young men, enter the mining industry while most of the young ladies, except for a few who dare to venture into the mining fields also, simply settle down and start a family.

The mining industry is the only option that offers money for survival and development but chasing the yellow metal has always been a dangerous occupation which seems to be getting worse. Fathers and sons are murdered; some disappear without a trace while others succumb to horrific accidents and malaria. Trafficking in persons, which is an old “bush business”, is well and alive and where men were the culprits in the past, it would seem that the women have decided to join them in the business and are taking brutish advantage of their own women kind. The “bush” is indeed a frightening place, especially for the young and inexperienced.
Hence, Minister Sukhai’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme for hinterland youths must have excited them and given them some hope – which is a good thing – and I must applaud her for that.
Two hundred million dollars ($200M) was approved by the National Assembly in the 2013 National Budget for this programme which targets 2,500 hinterland youths under the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, however, after many questions, reports and comments from some of the youths themselves from various villages, I have come to the conclusion that a lot more thought should have been put into this project. There is no quick fix to any hinterland problem and this should be kept in mind when attempting to find solutions.
The Terms of Reference of the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme indicate that the programme caters for students/youths within the age bracket of 18 years to 40 years to be attached to health, education, community development, agriculture, infrastructure, general maintenance, sports, culture, tourism, community welfare, community relations and governance – all areas that need to be strengthened within Amerindian communities for which they each will be receiving a stipend of $30,000 per month for six months.
From all indications, the programme started off with lots of energy and enthusiasm, with youths taking a census of their communities, spending some time in the village office, attending meetings and seminars and helping out in the health and education sectors on given days. But then the steam ran out, and the weaknesses of the programme began to reveal themselves.
For instance, Community Support Officers (CSOs) are required to write monthly reports and the majority of them were not shown how to do so. With the exception of the health and education sectors, these youths are also not fully aware of what they have to do. Apparently, the programme was not properly explained to them.
In some villages there are as many as thirteen CSOs, or more, and the majority of them have nothing to do. In some cases, youths were told to come up with tourism proposals for their villages and they did not have the faintest idea how to go about doing that. So, it is little wonder why they gave up eventually and decided to be grateful for a much needed $30,000.
But, are these the kinds of values we want to instill in our indigenous youths? That they can do nothing and yet get paid? That kind of living is for our businessmen and women who have worked hard to build successful businesses and in later years can afford to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labour.
Very few are taking the time to teach or train these youths in their chosen areas. And whom does the Ministry expect to take on that responsibility? Is it the Toshaos or councilors? I am sure these important persons are willing to perform that task, but they too have to take some time to earn a living for themselves, since in many instances, the councilor’s monthly stipend is only half the amount of that of the CSOs and merely quarter or nothing in other villages. It is quite understandable then why most councilors feel insulted.
While some village leaders make sure that the CSOs earn their money, there is the feeling in some villages that there are too many CSOs. And while the Minister anticipates that “at the end of the six-month attachment the participants would have enough skills to set up their own business, secure a job, or even pursue higher education”, somehow I fail to see how this can happen after six months, except in the education and health sectors.
Two hundred million dollars is a lot of money to spend on quick fixes; instead, a plan for long term investment in the future of our indigenous youth should be devised as early as possible. A way to start is by equipping all hinterland secondary schools with science labs – physics and chemistry, IT labs and home economics departments – one school at a time.
Technical Institutes where youths can learn carpentry and joinery, motor and electrical mechanics, metal work, masonry and other craft skills are necessary for the development of indigenous communities and the entire hinterland, and one should be built in each hinterland region. Business studies should also be pursued.
Competence in computer programmes like Adobe Photoshop and In design, Corel draw, Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point could allow them to secure online jobs; photography is another online money earner, and this is where the much-touted fibre optic cable can come in useful – providing internet services to hinterland communities as promised by the Government.
The recently opened Mining School should have been placed in one of the mining and lumber producing regions of the hinterland. These are long term plans that could be pursued by any government and which will give the youths a fighting chance to fulfill their dreams, uplift their standard of living, contribute meaningfully to their communities and help build this country at the same time.
Just recently, at the Toshaos Conference held at the National Conference Centre, CSOs were told that the programme will be extended for another six months, and many of them are saying that they were told by PPP representatives within their communities that they have to join the PYO, the youth arm of the PPP. If this has any truth to it, then the programme is no genuine quick fix, but a campaign strategy for the next general elections.
I personally voted for a programme that I thought was born out of genuine concern for the plight of my indigenous brothers and sisters, and I am not saying that it was not, but somehow it has gotten tainted by over enthusiastic PPP activists in the regions.
Still, I stand willing, along with my Party, the AFC, to support long term investments in the future of not only hinterland youth, but all the youth of this country. We stand ready and willing to work with our youth to build a healthy, clean, beautiful, prosperous and peaceful Guyana for all.

Pix – Valerie Garrido-Lowe

 

 

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