There is a fair and equal opportunity for all Guyanese youth interested in the country’s development to join the recently-launched President’s Youth Advisory Council, according to the body’s Co-Chair Dr. Josh Kanhai.
The historic youth advisory council was launched on Friday last, promising to push youth involvement in the country’s decision-making processes.
In the initial stage, the Council comprises 29 Guyanese drawn from various fields. Dr. Kanhai and Tracy Shamsudeen, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Gaming Authority, are the Co-Chairs of the Council.
Since the launch of the Council, however, several people have taken to social media questioning how the council members were selected and how interested youth can join.
“You just have to show interest,” Dr. Kanhai said, responding to those questions during an interview with the News Room on Tuesday.
He elaborated, “The council is not only us, it is just a national body.
“From that, you will have a regional body and a district body so there is a fair and equal opportunity, trust me, for everyone in these areas to come to this forum to be involved.”
He vows that no one will be excluded, especially not because of their political affiliation.
“… politics can come at the next election,” he said.
Meanwhile, with the intention to recruit more Guyanese youth all across the country, the Council has already identified five key areas that it will be focusing on.
According to Shamsudeen, these include mental health, preventative medicine, constitutional reform, agricultural development and enhancing the education system.
And she emphasised that one of the major benefits of the council is that it will allow the voices of youth to be channelled directly towards the country’s policy-makers.
