The group of participants in the Youth Leaders' Development Programme visited Parliament Buildings and various media coverage ensued.
Capitol News
Stabroek News
Saying that power needs to be returned to the people, House Speaker Raphael Trotman yesterday sounded a call for “real decision making” to begin at the community-level.
“We have to change our decision-making policies…there should be an inclusive form of governance in Guyana and decision-making processes so that all the different factors and sectors of our society should be factored into the decision-making,” he said during a meeting with members of the new Blue CAPS non-governmental organisation at the Public Buildings yesterday.
“I believe that the real decision-making should be made at the bottom. So, we need to devolve more power to the people at the local government level. A community in Ann’s Grove or a community in Tain, Corentyne shouldn’t have to wait for a minister to say that a bridge should be built… that should be left to the people; they know best for themselves,” he added.
Trotman further stated that Parliament should instead focus on the national issues and leave the basic issues to the Guyanese citizens, especially willing youths such as those that had been in attendance.
“I’d like to see the power given back to the people. There is too much power centred around Parliament,” he noted. “The real power should go the peoples of Guyana and the more national aspects should be left to Parliament.”
....more media coverage below the jump....
Trotman congratulated the youths for their initiative and urged them to take control despite adversity and temptation.
“The most important thing is to define yourselves and not let anyone define you. The minute you can do that, you become a valuable asset and tool to the nation,” he said.
He continued, “I really want to commend you because we have not had a group of young people in recent times – and so many of you – coming forth on behalf of Guyana and that is something I believe has to be celebrated.”
However, he warned them of the inevitable backlash. “You are going to take knocks for it…the fact that you are already getting attacks is like a blade of grass pushing out of the ground; it means it gets noticed and it’s going to come under attack; that means you are a threat to someone.”
Yesterday’s meeting was part of Blue CAPS’ month-long exercises to build youth leadership in Guyana.
Leadership crisis
In the Parliament Chambers yesterday, Presi-dent and Founder of Blue CAPS Clinton Urling explained that the organisation was developed as a result of the recognition of a leadership crisis in society. “We can see it happening where our leaders at the political level–the highest level–our leaders can’t compromise, can’t negotiate,” he said.
He opined that the absence of local government elections for the past 20 years has played a part in the problem. “That translates into a leadership vacuum in communities, where young people see no opportunity to run their communities,” he said.
The objective of his organisation is to show young people that leadership can come from anywhere. “If you’re a part of a system, if you’re a part of the community or any network, you can demonstrate leadership,” he said. “Every single one of us.”
He added that Blue CAPS aimed to develop current leaders, form public policy subscriptions and instil the belief and attitude of service.
He mentioned that the group has been accused of linkages to specific political parties. However, he pointed out that the members of Blue CAPS are from several organisations that came together under its “Building of Communi-ties through Leadership Training Service” programme.
The initiative is a month-long forum which exposes the young leaders to the country’s leaders. Affiliated organisations include the Rasville/ Roxanne Burnham Com-munity Group, the Global Movement Guyana, the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), the Youth Action Network, and the Youth Ambassadors Program.
“We believe strongly that collective action is more dynamic and more purposeful than individual action,” Urling emphasised.
He added, “The intention is to create a network. If our most valuable resource is the young people, it is important we have a network of leaders of most of the youth-based organisations together.”
The initiative comprises of two main components; the first is a classroom-like curriculum style where “cutting edge” theories on leadership are taught to members in an attempt to sharpen their communication skills and allow them to engage in critical and analytical thinking.
The second component involves a “Youth Exper-ience Service” aspect which encompasses community participation. Last week, the organisation did a community survey of three communities which have yielded results in at least one of the selected communities. The community, the Rasville/ Roxanne Burnham Gardens area, has begun forming its own youth organization.
After the survey, Urling said, small-scale youth projects were developed with eventual implementation. The aim was for members of the Blue CAPS to use their creativity and demonstrate leadership and to develop solutions to community-based problems.
“This initiative is just the first we’re starting in Georgetown and the intention is to go nationally across the country,” he said.
Kaieteur News
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.
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.
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