Dear Editor,
A number of unemployed and a few employed youths of Bartica, Region 7 last week joined the membership of the Bartica United Youth Development Group (BUYDG). The youths expressed extreme dissatisfaction about the failure of the Government to establish modern technical institutes within Bartica, Region 7 and turn the region into a conducive job environment for both males and females.
During the membership application process, the youths told the BUYDG executive that they completed school two to four years ago and to date they are unable to get jobs within Bartica, Region 7 due to their qualifications (CXC subjects). The executive then responded and asked do you-all ever make applications seeking jobs with companies that operate within Region Seven? The youths answered and said yes they did many times but it is very difficult for them to achieve employment within the mining sector since the sector required skilled and qualified persons for e.g. truck drivers, mining operators, mechanics and dragger operators etc.
Editor, the youth also stated that a large amount of the persons who are employed in the mining sector are from Linden, Georgetown and other regions in Guyana and Brazil. They further stated that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic led Government during their ongoing 11 May 2015 regional and general elections campaign is saying how they developed the education system in all the regions of Guyana but it is not true since over the twenty-two years that they have been in office they had failed to establish modern vocational school(s) within Region 7 and if they had been established, after completing school they would have attended.
Editor, the female youths stated that the only jobs available for them in the mining sector is cooking and within the community mostly as sales persons in shops and supermarkets etc. which don’t pay much. They further stated that they are not equitably treated in the mining sector since presently most vacancies that exist are for skilled persons in which only males are employed.
The BUYDG at the closing of our applications process and discussion with the youths welcomed them into our organization and advised them that now that they are part of the BUYDG the same problems that they are facing will now be placed at the top of the BUYDG agenda and these issues will be raised with the Government that will take office after 11 May 2015.
Most of the members of the BUYDG are youths and at every meeting they voice all their concerns and complaints given to them by residents of region. To address most of the matters the BUYDG normally approaches the Government since they are the ones in office who have the responsibility to address same but to date most or all the matters we took and met with government on they either promised to fix the problems or put them on hold.
Yours faithfully,
Micah Williams
General President
The Bartica United Youth
Development Group
