– ”We lap them—several times over—on issues like: housing development, job creation, scholarships and other investments for Guyanese youth.”
The hypocrisy of former President David Granger has not waned or withered during his last five years in political wilderness. At least this is the view of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson who told Guyana Standard that Granger “continues to demonstrate his same old outlook on youths. He has always viewed youths as pawns for his political game.”
Ramson voiced his opinion as he responded to Granger’s recent call to youths to vote wisely in the upcoming polls.
Guyana Standard published an article quoting Granger who urged young people not to be swayed by the rhetoric and empty promises of political candidates during this electoral cycle.
During an exclusive interview with this publication, Ramson said, “that is rich coming from Granger who abandoned the youths in this country during his tenure.”
Stressing his opinion that “Granger is bare-faced”, Ramson recalled that youths rallied around that politician during the 2015 elections campaign. The minister said, “young people were fooled. They were used to help APNU+AFC assume office in 2015.”
The minister recalled the promise made to young people for jobs, even positions in government. “Many young leaders like Trevor Williams, James Bond, Christopher Jones, Malika Ramsey and others campaigned hard and were expecting appointments, only to discover their work was left unrecognized. They were betrayed.”
Ramson noted that the Granger-led APNU+AFC was known as the government of geriatrics. He said, “When young people wanted to hear about jobs, he told the nation to sell plantain chips and cook-up rice. But he has the nerve to address young people now.”
Ramson told Guyana Standard, “I don’t have to resort to politicking. There is real evidence that PPP has always been for the youth.” He noted that PPP governments had two of the youngest presidents in Guyana’s history—Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and the incumbent, Dr. Irfaan Ali.
The minister noted that President Ali now leads a Cabinet full of young people who are working hard and delivering for the nation. Ramson went on to highlight a few areas where he believes the PPP has outshined APNU+AFC, specifically for the benefit of young people.
He said that APNU+AFC did not develop a single housing scheme. On the other hand, Ramson boasted, the PPP developed several housing schemes and has prioritized giving land to young people. “We see this as creating wealth for young people, something to pass down,” said Ramson.
Ramson said that education remains a priority and the entire population, including young people, can now study at the nation’s premier tertiary institution—University of Guyana. “Then we have the goal scholarships, thousands of young people are in the 49,000 who benefitted from goal, then we have BIT training and several other programmes.”
Ramson said when Granger was in charge, only ministers, ministers’ children and party loyalists were given scholarships.
The minister further noted, “young people are literally building this nation as young contractors across the racial divide are given contracts.”
Ramson noted that he was able to point out several areas where young people are befitting even before turning to the massive initiatives funded by his ministry. He was keen to note the fact that Granger dissolved the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, relegating it to a mere department under the Ministry of Education, “that alone spoke volumes.”
Ramson told Guyana Standard that the work done on enhancement for community grounds across the country is monumental. He noted that there was no discrimination as grounds located in APNU strongholds were enhanced and maintained just as those in areas that are traditionally for PPP.
“You know what they did? They cut expenditure from PPP’s previous allocation by 66%, we used to spend $300M per year on ground enhancement, they spent an average $100M. We spent billions on ground enhancement over the past five years. We invested in about 561 community grounds.”
Ramson said that owing to the massive investments in sport, Guyana is securing the most medals and championships than ever before at both the international and regional levels.
“We are building sports facilities across this country, all they built was D’urban Park, what a Joke.”
Ramson said that Guyanese young people benefit across the board in his ministry. “Young people benefit from allocations for culture as well. So, I don’t know what this respected elder can say about empty promises. PPP rescued young people, young people couldn’t survive another term under Granger and his band of geriatrics.”
