Guyana has a leadership crisis

Jun 18, 2014 News

– House Speaker tells youths at forum

By Abena Rockcliffe
Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman yesterday told a group of young people who gathered in the chambers of the National Assembly that Guyana is in the middle of a “leadership crisis.” As he noted this, Trotman said that within that inadequacy lays the core of Guyana’s problem. He opined that this “crisis” is the metaphoric stumbling block in the path towards a better future for Guyana.
The Speaker had the opportunity to meet with over 20 young people from various Non-Governmental Organizations as part of an ongoing initiative spearheaded by a new NGO—Blue CAPS.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman (left) and Blue CAPS President, Clinton Urling at yesterday’s forum.

Blue CAPS (Change, Advocacy, Policy, and Service) is a two-month old NGO which has recently launched a Youth Leaders’ Leadership Development Programme that includes various activities – with yesterday’s meeting being one of them.
Trotman told the gathering that every successful society he has seen in his life has had one common feature, and that is, that time was taken to develop leaders.
He suggested that Guyana get a leadership institute. Trotman said that this entity should focus primarily on strategic thinking.
The Attorney-at law, who was recently admitted to the bar in Grenada, opined that “Guyana isn’t getting to the place where we want to, or should be, because we not investing in future leaders.” He noted that around the world people are being groomed for leadership, and even while this is happening, there is still room for experience which can only be offered by older persons.
The Speaker, as he sat in the seat of the Clerk of the National Assembly, kept his conversation with the group quite humorous. He introduced the Chambers to the group as the place where “lots of action takes place but little work”.
He told the gathering that he wanted to give them a chance to sit in the “hot seat” and commended them for their initiative.
The Speaker recommended that they define themselves and let no one else do that for them. He said that, in that way, they can become assets to the nation.
Trotman said that political leaders should focus more on the national issues like security, health services, taxes, airports and energy. He emphasized that too much power is at the Office of the President and Parliament.
The Speaker noted too that he wants the tenth parliament to adopt more features of a modern day democracy.
Trotman noted that Guyana is one of the wealthiest jurisdictions in the Caribbean but cannot develop as a state because “we just can’t come together.” He encouraged that the young people must say they had enough and give no more considerations to surname, hair texture or skin colour.
The Speaker said that in the absence of a vision to give more power to the people it needs to be demanded. He also encouraged the group not to allow unscrupulous leaders to get the better of them.
President of Blue CAPS, Clinton Urling, said that his NGO decided to include such an exercise so as to expose the young people to the highest decision-making body of the land.
Urling said Blue CAPS has three main functions, those being to bring forth future or current leaders, to formulate and articulate public policy prescriptions.
NGOs represented yesterday included the Roxanne Burnham Community Group, Come Alive Network, SASOD, Youth Action Network, Youth Ambassadors Programme and Global Chambers Georgetown Club.