By Telesha Ramnarine
A mammoth crowd of young people showed up on Sunday for the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) Region Three Youth Conference and they were urged by General Secretary, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo to choose strategic career paths that would guarantee them good jobs.
He also told them to work on developing certain qualities, such as empathy, that could turn them into good politicians if they choose to get into politics.
Jagdeo, during an interactive session with the youths, was prompted by one young woman to offer advice on what makes a good politician, and he used the opportunity to reflect on his simple upbringing with his industrious parents who were genuinely interested in not just politics, but on preserving their dignity as citizens of the country.
The conference opened at Leonora Track and Field, West Coast Demerara, with hundreds of young people turning up to register with the Progressive Youth Organisation – the youth arm of the party that was set up in 1952.
Before launching into a history of the party, Jagdeo reminded them of his party’s main message and values, assuring them that they would be given an opportunity to speak on what they would like to see the government and party focus on for young people, and how they can replicate and magnify the message and values of the PPP.
Jagdeo reminded that the PPP was the first political party of substance to be formed in Guyana in 1950, two years before the youth arm was formed.
“If you are deciding to join the party, you are joining one that is the oldest and most progressive anywhere in the world, I dare say,” he posited.
Having opened the floor to ideas and suggestions on how to improve policies, Jagdeo encouraged the students to seek proper career guidance and plan their studies well.
“People have to get the skills that are marketable….not just get a computer certificate that may not even be a requirement for a government job,” he noted.
He further urged them to follow what’s going on at the national level so that they can make smarter choices about their careers.
Should they decide to pursue politics, he said it is necessary to develop empathy – to see people’s suffering and have a genuine desire to help them find relief.
“Too many politicians are there in the communities only for the politics and the photo op; they have no interest in solving people’s problems,” Jagdeo pointed out.
He also told them that they have to be comfortable doing grassroots work, and spend as much time as they can listening to people, and not only listen, but allow what they hear to influence the formation of policies down the line.
He advised them to “lead with heart,” reminding them that they do not need to be a big academic to be a good politician.
The post ‘Work & lead with your heart’ – Jagdeo urges young people appeared first on News Room Guyana.
