Friday was “International Youth Day”. That’s right, there’s been a day set aside for our yutes since the beginning of our new millennium. But your Eyewitness confesses that all the other observances slipped under his radar, since he just can’t remember any of the “themes” that go with these “Days”. Then again, since he’s not exactly a spring chicken, he could’ve been suffering from the incipient senility that threatens once you’ve graduated from “youth”.
And it’s probably of that threat that, this year, the theme chosen is “Intergenerational solidarity: Creating a world for all ages”. Meaning that youths are being exhorted to spare a thought for us oldsters! There’s that saying, “Youth is wasted on the young, and wisdom is wasted on the old” that makes sense, doesn’t it?? Imagine having all that energy and not knowing how exactly to make the best use of it; and then knowing exactly what to do, but just can’t get up to do it!! The irony that is life!!
Now, we all know we’ve got a very youthful President – is he still a youth?? Where’s that line of demarcation? He certainly has the energy that goes with youth – the man’s schedule makes your Eyewitness’s head spin!! The Energiser Bunny has nothing on him!! And he’s certainly the exception that proves the rule on youth and wisdom not joined at the hip! Frankly, young President Ali’s a walking advertisement for electing some younger leaders to get our moribund country moving. If you have any concerns, just think of President Biden and his public appearances!!
Well, Pres Ali appears ready to move out all the old guard who might be holding back his plan for total transformation. He just announced the formation of a “Youth Advisory Council” (YAC), in which there were about thirty young professionals who, he assured us, aren’t “political”, but will have an input into all aspects of policy formulation. While the young people mightn’t be “political” NOW, a couple were certainly political up to last year or so. The Chairman fella was very much involved with one of the mushroom parties that had sprung up. He quit in the post-election “dealing-with-reality” phase that had their shell-shocked doctor-heavy executive confronting the 244 votes they got across all of Guyana!!
Another political type – but much more substantial – is a young female Afro-Guyanese lawyer who’d clocked in more than two decades in the PNC – and resigned in disgust at the games Granger had played.
The YAC members are supposed to be placed in their areas of expertise to “enhance the services at all levels of Government” under the aegis of the Ministry of Youth. Your
Eyewitness wonders exactly how that’ll be implemented.
…for law and order
Something’s rotten in the state of the Guyana Police Force. Why is it that if it’s another day, then it’s another scandal for them?! Your Eyewitness wonders how long this can continue. But then realises that Haiti has put up with a rotten Police Force for two hundred years!!
We have quite a ways to catch up, but don’t forget that in only two decades, the PNC had brought our economy to hover precariously barely above theirs!!
We just heard one detective – in an explosive outburst – allege that in one of the most blatant crimes committed in recent history, there was a cover-up executed at very high levels of the GPF. Names were called and dates and times were stated. No matter how you slice it or dice it – and it WILL be sliced and diced! – the smell is so “renk” that this shouldn’t be allowed to disappear.
The matter’s been passed to the Office of Professional Responsibility – but that’s a problem. OPR uses Police detectives to investigate!!
…for free speech
Think of it. Thirty-four years after Salman Rushdie wrote the book that earned him a death sentence via a fatwah from Ayatollah Khomeini, he was stabbed for his opinions. Guess the sword’s still mightier than the pen.
