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Our country will falter if its youth fumbles
– President tells beneficiaries of key initiative
“Our country will falter if its youth fumbles; youths will fail if employment is unavailable, employment will be difficult to find without education. Employment is essential to human development”
President Granger delivering the feature address at yesterday’s ceremony.
This was the core message conveyed by President David Granger during his feature address to beneficiaries of the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED), during an Awards Ceremony at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, yesterday afternoon
The President pointed to the fact that employment improves the quality of life throughout the world, and maintained that it shapes people’s expectation and creates a sense of identity.
He continued that it is in that respect that government has committed to generating employment. He pointed to the Guyana National Service and the Guyana Youth Corps as the earliest attempts of the then government to prepare young people for the world of work. He reflected that the “deliberate dissolution” of the National Service in 2000 coincided with the surge in youth unemployment that is still having an effect on the country.
“The administration therefore has re-embarked on a strategy to prepare young people for the world of work. The Minister of Finance as you’ve heard in this administration’s first budget presentation, a mere three months after the May 2015, general and regional elections, announced the launch of the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) initiative, and that was in August 2015. The SLED initiative emphasizes this administration’s employment policy by encouraging entrepreneurship, particularly through young people.”
He noted that it contradicts the criticisms that the current administration has no plan for the unemployed and the under-employed.
“The SLED initiative is part of a programme that reinforces the administration’s efforts to stimulate economic development in communities, especially at the grassroot level; it has provided training, mentorship, business development skills and start-up grants to individuals and groups.”
He pointed to the launch of the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) which has enabled 40 “youngish” entrepreneurs from Upper Demerara to facilitate their business enterprises through small loans.
President Granger’s feature address highlighted education as a must, as it is needed for employment.
“Young people must be equipped with knowledge of information technology in order to work in an increasingly knowledge intensive job market.”
He noted that the liberalisation of telecommunications will encourage increased investment and employment.
“We will continue to encourage the growth of the information, communication technology sector, because of its potential for employment.”
Speaking directly to the awardees, the President said, “No one can doubt your energy and your enthusiasm. Equally, no one can doubt this government’s commitment to a good life for all, a good life through education, through employment, through enterprise. This morning I am happy to congratulate all the awardees.”
In concluding, he wished them success and expressed hope that the awardees would enjoy profitable enterprises.
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