PNCR Leader concerned about adverse impact of musical “lawlessness” on youths

Last Updated on Monday, 10 October 2022, 7:39 by Denis Chabrol

PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton addressing a youth symposium at Congress Place, his party’s headquarters at Sophia, Greater, Georgetown.

Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton has accused the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration of promoting immoral music among youths, leading to a breakdown in values.

“As they try to focus you on dancing, sporting, even dancing with people who have no rhythm you must recognise that they do not set out to ensure you develop,” he told a symposium at the weekend as part of efforts to revitalise the virtually dormant Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM), his party’s youth arm.

Describing the government’s approach as a “charade”, Mr Norton said youths were being seen only as people who sometimes prefer the “worst entertainment.” “They are feeding our young people a diet of lawlessness. When that is done, they are destroying your moral fabric;  when that is done, they are creating conditions for the men to be abusive of women because a lot of it is derogatory about women; when that is done, they are removing your critical thinking capabilities,” he said.

Referring specifically to Jamaican music, the PNCR Leader suggested that contrary to popular views those types of music are not largely acceptable in Jamaica. “Some of the music you hear here, when you go to Jamaica you don’t hear it. Any proper place you go to in Jamaica, you don’t hear it,” said Mr Norton who is also Guyana’s  Opposition Leader.

The concerts are usually well-attended by mostly Afro-Guyanese who have traditionally made up the PNCR’s political support base. President Irfaan Ali and a number of government ministers have been attending and, in some instances, participating in those concerts as part of the mainly Indo-Guyanese backed administration’s One Guyana initiative.

He told participants at the opening of the symposium that if his party and the wider coalition are returned to office at the next general and regional elections constitutionally due in 2025,  his administration would resume youths’ access to training and education, including Law Degree scholarships for underprivileged youths, and business activities.

Mr Norton told the more than 100 youths that they would be trained in becoming young leaders and being responsible for promoting and generating support for the PNCR and the broader coalition. “You need to be mobilisers and organisers. It is your task to mobilise and organise young people in support of the People’s National Congress Reform and the coalition government,” he said.

He advised the youths against being “carried away by the propaganda” of the Irfaan Ali-led administration.