Opposition wins Youth Parliament debate

– after UG students square off over topical issues

The fourth Youth Parliament – the first in history that featured University of Guyana (UG) students participating – finished on a high note with the Opposition side managing to cop the win after lengthy deliberations by the judges.
The motions they debated included augmenting efforts to combat climate change and the establishment of a media monitoring unit – both moved by the Government side. On the other hand, the Opposition side moved two motions; the Amendment to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act and a proposal

to build a local oil refinery.
Mover of the climate change motion, Youth Minister of State, Trevon Chichester set the bar high with an impassioned presentation. He argued for the continued implementation of the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), though the Opposition side questioned the absence of public information on the policy.
“We’re approaching the end of 2018 and still there has been little to no effort to engage members of the public from outlying regions like Region Six. For far too long, citizens from the outermost regions of Guyana have been kept, in layman’s terminology, out of the loop! It seems as though the Government is waiting on the second coming of the messiah to engage the populace,” Youth Shadow Minister of State Uneisha Smartt rebutted, eliciting laughter from within the house.
Youth Public Telecommunications Minister Devta Ramroop moved a motion for a media monitoring unit (MMU) to be set up, arguing that freedom of speech must be a responsible one. However, the Opposition was having none of it and branded the motion as disrespectful to the media fraternity. According to Ramroop’s shadow counterpart, Oniell Stephenson, the motion endangered freedom of the press and

moreover, a media monitoring unit is already in place.
“Attempts to further monitor the media sound more like censorship and the beginning of a totalitarian regime,” Stephenson pronounced. “I understand that Government monitoring the media is never a good look. But since Guyana’s Constitution provides for freedom of expression and the law, freedom of the press, a well as the already established MMU, be it resolved that no more organisations be established to monitor and oversee the media.”

Decriminalising marijuana
Youth Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs Kristoff Shepperd introduced a motion to have the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act amended to reduce the minimum sentencing and incorporate leniency and alternative sentencing.
The Government side rose to the occasion, however. Youth Social Protection Minister Yonnick David noted the highly addictive nature of the marijuana drug and

also its categorisation as a gateway drug. In a moving presentation, he pointed out that drug dealers have no code of ethics among themselves and would not hesitate to sell the legalised but harmful drugs to school children.
Youth Minister of Citizenship, Jarryl Bryan, warned of the danger of “following for following sake.” Bryan noted that unlike Guyana, many countries that have liberalised their laws regarding drug possession have impressive social systems in place, including multiple drug rehabilitation centres and free treatment for addicts. In addition, he noted that Section 73 (1,b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act already allows the Magistrates leniency when sentencing persons for possession of drugs… provided there are special circumstances.
“My learned colleagues, did you know that the law allows Magistrates to impose lesser than minimum sentences on those convicted of drug possession? If you relied on the Opposition’s motion for guidance, you wouldn’t know. But it does. That provision was put there by the framers of this law specifically to lessen the yoke of judicial punishment on the ordinary citizen who those special circumstances apply to!” Bryan stressed.
The final motion called on the Government to establish a local oil refinery. It was moved by the Shadow Minister of Natural Resources and eventual best speaker winner, Miracle Miller. A number of speakers on the Government side argued against its establishment, but with the conclusion of this motion, it was down to the leaders of the respective sides of the House.
Youth Opposition Leader Riaz Rupnarain, in a performance commended by onlookers, took the Government to task on the various motions it debated. When it came to the amendments to the Narcotics Act, he failed to address observations that the law already allows discretion. Youth Prime Minister Reon Miller, the eventual winner of best debater, reinforced his Government’s arguments on the motions.
Judging the youths were Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, Academic Engagement Officer Sharon Roopchand-Edwards and University of Guyana Senior Lecturer, Dr Valarie Leung. While they expressed disappointment that most of the parliamentarians read from speeches rather than debated – a habit Trotman acknowledged was commonplace in Guyana’s National Assembly – they acknowledged the standout performers and praised the well-researched presentations. Noting the difficulty in selecting a winning side due to the overall positive performance, the Opposition was given the win.
Trotman also requested that the Parliament Office transcribe the student’s speeches, and have them packaged and distributed to Members of the National Assembly. Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland urged the students to continue to strive for greatness.
During the first sitting on August 15 that featured secondary school students, the Government side of the House won the debate, Best Speaker was awarded to Arifa Ahsidally, the Shadow Minister of Education. The Best Debater was awarded to the Youth Prime Minister, Jordan Kellman.