“We want to impart something beneficial,” Pres Ali
President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced the launching of a girls-only self-defence programme, which is scheduled to be held three times per week for a period of one month at State House on Main Street, Georgetown.
President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the girls at State House on Saturday
At the launching of this programme, on Saturday at State House, President Ali said, “This is a new initiative we are launching specifically for our young girls. State House belongs to all of Guyana, and what we want to do is open up State House for all of Guyana; because the children of Guyana must grow up knowing that this house also belongs to them, and in doing so, we want to impart lifelong skills, we want to impart lifelong discipline, and we want to impart something beneficial and something that can help them in the future, and something that will improve their own self confidence.”
President Dr. Irfaan Ali, along with First Lady Arya Ali, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr., Minister Susan Rodrigues, and Director of Sport Steve Ninville
President Ali also stressed the importance of self-defence and the unity it had brought among the young people when he was a child. He explained that while the world is changing, elementary skills are be
A small portion of the girls that attended the launching
neficial, and should be taught early to children.
The President noted that the programme would be for girls under the age of 13 years old, and while self-defence is important, the necessary time would also be spent with students in order to impart positive messages.
“We are working on a number of programmes, Minister Charles Ramson Jr is working on a number of programmes for young people in different categories. He launched the swimming programme, a very massive and overwhelming programme. The same thing he is doing in setting up a committee to go and spot talent all across the country. And for us to develop a talent development programme, so we can have the next Usain Bolt or next best person in canoeing coming out of Guyana, we have to start from now,” the President has posited.
President Ali explained that the programme was initially meant to be done twice per week for the entire month, but due to the overwhelming response of over 300 young girls across Guyana, it has been pushed to three times per week.
He said that each session of the weekly sessions would last for one hour, and the programme would be held for one month. Students would also be divided into groups, as it is the intention of the President for the students to maximise the benefits they gain from the programme. A total of four instructors would be present with the girls, and according to Ali, they would supervise the girls and ensure they are well taken care of.
He said that parents are welcome to attend the programme, but urged them to allow the children to grow in their own space.
The President also commented, “I want you to know: in building this One Guyana, this is perhaps one of the most important initiatives of bringing young girls together and allowing them the opportunity to grow and to understand self-defence. Self-defence is not about fighting; it is not training you to be fighters, it is training you to have basic skills in protecting yourselves; basic skills in protecting your friends; basic skills that require discipline.”
Ali further relayed that the art of self-defence has been lost, but it is his intention to bring back the art, and to reignite the art for the girls of Guyana.
