In budget 2023, $960.2M allocated for youth development

$960.2M GUY has been allocated in the 2023 National Budget for youth development, as the PPP/C Administration continues to demonstrate its commitment to involving youths in the aggressive transformation of the country.

It was revealed that as part of this objective, government, in 2022 launched the President’s Youth Advisory Council (PYAC) to coincide with the International Day of the Youth.

As such, this body is tasked with sharing with the government youth perspectives on matters such as education, mental health, constitutional reform, primary health care and agriculture. In this way, the administration can ensure that the views of the youths are heard and considered in policymaking.

It was disclosed that the council is made up of young people from across the country, from various backgrounds and with a wide array of skills.

Further, the launch of the advisory council is the fulfilment of a manifesto commitment.
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh during the 2023 Budget presentation on Monday said, “The young women and men who make up 36 per cent of our population are considered an important pillar in Guyana’s development.”

Minister Singh assured that the investment in youth will continue.

“The Government is resolutely committed to investing heavily to mould better, sharper, and more creative young minds,” he said.

Similarly, it was noted that the government has made tremendous efforts to develop the country’s youths through the Youth Entrepreneurship and Skills Training (YEST) Programme for which tools and equipment were procured to train and enhance their skills.

It was disclosed that grants were also distributed through the Youth Entrepreneur and Mentorship Programme, while an inaugural National Youth Science Fair was held which saw more than 3,500 young Guyanese participating.

It was pointed out that in the area of robotics training, more than 1,300 youths from regions 2, 3, 4 and 5 participated and as a result, 12 robotics hubs were established and the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) Programme was re-launched after a few years of dormancy.

Further, in 2023, the government has committed to continue expanding the educational and vocational opportunities being made available to young people across Guyana. This will see the government procuring tools and equipment for welding and fabrication and the expansion of the YEST centres and PYARG programmes countrywide.

Additionally, more importantly, the government will be working assiduously to establish more robotics hubs to provide more robotics training countrywide.