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System failing youths, creating young criminals – GYSM
The Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM) has accused Government of creating criminals by failing to provide relevant programmes geared at stimulating and motivating youths positively.
Christopher Jones
This notion was expressed by Christopher Jones, Chairman of GYSM and Parliamentarian of A Partnership for National Unity, whilst highlighting the increasing number of youths who are involved in criminal activities.
According to Jones, GYSM, the youth arm of the People’s National Congress/ Reform, finds it troubling that the Administration has not taken any concrete approach within the past five years to prevent youngsters from getting involved in crimes.
Emphasizing his position, he said only recently two young men from Lusignan were remanded to prison for allegedly murdering a taxi driver, a teen bandit was gunned down in front the New Thriving Restaurant, and another young man who turned to a life of crime was also killed.
He believes the Ministries of Culture, Youth and Sport, and Education are the two main Government machineries that should be involved in youth development. But, the Administration seems to be distant from the needs of youths while the “get rich quick or die trying syndrome” is the mantra of young men and women in depressed situations.
Jones said that Government needs to have a comprehensive youth policy that outlines realistic options for youths who complete secondary education or drop out of school. Guyana not acquiring universal secondary education should not be a reason for ignoring tertiary education.
“The National Youth Policy has no plan for a young man or woman who finishes school to be guided to further their academic life at a tertiary institution,” he added.
Jones acknowledged that the Ministry of Education has social assistance initiatives such as the school feeding and the uniform voucher programme to foster greater school attendance but questioned whether they are working.
He noted that having children enrolled and remain in the school system until completion, and acquire good grades at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations are factors to be considered. Not every student, particularly males, completes the school system and therefore programmes need to be developed to keep them in schools.
“Yes, the Ministry has technical vocational programmes in schools, but is it working? When we look at all the crimes and the youngsters who are involved, it leaves one to wonder what is really happening. The age ranges of those involved in crimes tell a strong sorrowful story. These guys would have completed school about three, four years ago,” he stressed.
“In addition, their confidence in the school system is being diminished with limited job opportunities available. Government has not been creating jobs for youths and areas where there could be employment there is a blockage. For instance, Guyanese were robbed of being employed in the construction phase of the Marriott Hotel in Kingston.”
Taking a jab at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Jones said youths are robbed of the ability to have positive energies because there are no proper recreational and sporting facilities in communities.
He said many unemployed youths find themselves in criminal activities by liming on the roadside. “This fact is well known and yet Government is not aggressively developing community centres with proper facilities.”
“This Ministry should also be financing athletes to ensure they have optimal performance at their respective sport such as boxing, cricket, and swimming,” he said.
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