President Dr Irfaan Ali today announced the undertaking of a ‘1000 Men’ programme that seeks to tackle societal issues plaguing communities across the country.
This initiative, according to the Head of State, will be led by him and involve one thousand men from various aspects of society. These include the Joint Forces, the sport fraternity, the religious sector, the entertainment industry, the teaching profession, community workers and farmers as well.
The President explained that this ‘1000 Men’ program is established to reverse the strategy used to deal with problems facing young boys and men in society.
“The mission of this ‘1000 Men’ is to work in every single community to eradicate hunger, to work in every single community to lift up those who are emotionally [and] socially affected. It is to change every society and bring positive living and positive life in every single community. It is to work against violence, it is to work at making men better at being good men, responsible men, responsible boys, responsible youth in our society.”
Consequently, one thousand males in leadership positions will be deployed all across the country to work with and fully integrate every single man – both young and old – into the economic and social life of Guyana.
“Those who require training, we’re going to build a platform to give them training so that they can go and get the skilled jobs anywhere. There will be no excuse for men not to deliver on their responsibility and deliver on what is required of us to deliver to the people in our societies and to our families.”
The Head of State posited that his government, through this initiative, is on a mission to make a positive change in society. To this end, he noted that all assets and resources required will be deployed to ensure that all Guyanese in communities across the country are assisted with their hardships.
This, he added, includes assisting those who are in need of help to deal with mental challenges, persons living with disabilities and so on.
However, the President contended that this will require males in society to play a more active role.
“We are working on a program to help every single community. It is refocusing the thinking of men themselves to understand that we have to be an active partner in making the changes we need in our society. We have to sit down and network. Men need to network across the country to understand that violence against women, violence against children is not accepted and will not be accepted and cannot be accepted in our society. But we can’t do this unless we network together.”
“You see, genetically and psychologically, men hardly share their emotional thoughts. But if we build a network in which you feel comfortable in speaking with persons within that network then it will help us.”
President Ali pointed out that this is an issue that is integral to a healthy society and if left unaddressed, then it will continue in the next generation.
“We need to stop every single aspect that brings negativity to the male population… That is why at the highest level in every aspect of our society, the Police Force will be deployed… because from within these organisations themselves, we have to create the change. We have to start creating the positive mindsets, the positive attributes.”
“I intend to reach far and deep in every community, in every entity, in every institution to bring those who are ready to contribute and to do what they should be doing for the upliftment of humanity in our country. And all who are ready to be on board, they’re doing it for… love for country. Understanding what love for country means; you can’t love your country if you hate those who are part of the country.”
At the time when President Ali was speaking about this program at the Leguan Masjid in the Region Three island today, he had some of the leaders who will be spearheading this initiative including the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess; Deputy Commissioner of Police – Operations (ag) Ravindradat Budhram; former West Indies cricketer Ramesh Sarwan; Cricketer Lennox Cush, and other religious leaders.
