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Our system is failing and fighting young people, 16 years old out of school, but cannot apply for house lot or own a business

Jul 01, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – It is time that government officials and institution be made aware of the struggles and fight that Guyanese youths are facing, I would like to say we are enduring these struggles, but most young people are either leaving Guyana or contemplating on leaving. Youths in Guyana are graduating from high school at the ages of 16 and 17 and yet institutional rules and regulations do not cater to them. Tell me, how can it be ok for a 16- or 17-year-old to become a mother or father, but it is NOT ok for a 16- or 17-year-old to register a business or apply for a house lot?

Many may argue that a 16- or 17-year-old is constituted as a minor, however, many need to realise that a lot of 16- and 17-year-old makes up the workforce and are equally responsible as a grown adult. Many need to understand that this age group of persons are school graduates and some university students who work to improve their lifestyle or simply to acquire university fees as their parents or guardian are unable to do so, I, myself finished school at 16 years old, went straight to the University of Guyana and started working.

How do you explain that the law deems a 16-year-old mentally capable of consenting to have sex, but somehow the very law deems that a 16-year-old is not equally as capable of owning a business or applying for a house lot, matter of fact, how do you tell a grown adult ages 18, 19 & 20 that they are not in a position to apply for a house lot because the system assumes that he/she has no family responsibilities and is not mature enough for the very public sector to cater to them? When in fact many adults ages 18, 19 & 20 are business owners or working for enough money that allows them to qualify for a bank loan to pay for a property or car. I call on the relevant authority, including the newly appointed members of the constitutional reform committee to investigate these matters and to ensure that when the constitution is amended, it caters advantageously to young Guyanese. To the banking sector, you are not spared from this article, why is it that some banks allow a 16- or 17-year-old to open a bank account by him/herself accepting their salaries in the bank but preventing them from acquiring an ATM card to access their monies.

It is time that youths once attaining the age of adult (18 years of age) be allowed to apply for a house lot. Age should not be a determining factor that prevents CH&PA from accepting application from persons below the age of twenty-one. Yes, it is time that youths once graduated from high school at the ages of 16 or 17 be allowed to register a business or be appointed a director on a company, as many of these very youths own online selling businesses, hair or nail salon or even decor business among many other types of businesses.

Yes! There are laws that will be directly affected by these changes, however, like time changes, laws must too. We have several 18- to 21-year-old people that are more responsible, hardworking, educated, experienced, and dedicated than persons older.

Ayodele M. Roache (Former Councillors on Georgetown MCC)

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