The Imperial House

The crowing moment.

extends a hearty congratulations to Raina Thomas and wishes her only the best as she prepares to represent Guyana at the Miss Caribbean Talented Teen in December 2024.

Last evening after intense competition Raina Thomas was crowned Miss Guyana Teen with a Purpose 2024 at the Savanna Suite, Pegasus.

Our Queen Miss Guyana Teen Scholar 2024 Akeelah Andrew was a guest of the organizing committee, along with other royals. She also participated in the presentation of special prizes.

extends a hearty congratulations to Raina Thomas and wishes her only the best as she prepares to represent Guyana at the Miss Caribbean Talented Teen in December 2024. We would also like to thank Pamela Vaughn and her committee for graciously hosting our Queen and Directors.

An exciting opportunity exists for young girls!

To qualify applicants must meet the following criteria:
Age between 16 and 19 years (by June 2024).
Proficiency in English (minimum ESOL level 2) or native english speaker.
Participation in a minimum of 15 community-based social impact project service hours prior to applying.
If selected and aiming to progress to Stage 2, the Ella, Inc. Camp in Miami, finalists must bear all round-trip travel expenses to/from Miami, FL—USA.
Application Deadline: April, 2024.

Use the link below to sign up!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQT-_0tXDNg1EBTcTg1xvc-a8t6lk783uhx3NgIL8TMO3u9A/viewform?pli=1

Guyana's premier adolescent pageant 🇬🇾💃👑

We're proud to work with the Government of Guyana as partners for Gender Equality!

UN Human Rights Committee commends Guyana on measures promoting Gender Equity The Human Rights Committee has concluded its review of Guyana’s third periodic report on its implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) and during the dialogu…

113 young women applied to the 2023 - 2024 Girls, Assemble Programme, a 20% increase from last year. 68 were accepted.
54 young women attended 70% of the learning sessions on Guyana's parliamentary system.
47 young women completed the programme as Girls Assemble Parliamentarians.

The total viewership of the Opening Ceremony and Debates on Facebook were 4,700 persons;
with 77 Shares, 143 reactions, and 156 comments from persons enjoying the debates.

The Imperial House would like to express our sincere gratitude to the 2024 Cohort of the Girls, Assemble! Programme, for trusting the process and completing another brilliant year for this, Guyana's only gender and political development programme.

Special congratulations to Mya Saunders who raised the bar of what "Madam, Speaker" represents, and to House Leaders Tavithra Singh and Mendy Nicholson, who served as Prime Minister and Opposition Leader respectively. Thank you to the Clerks Eeshwari Lall and Akiela David, and the Sergeant-at-Arms, Roxanne McLean who stepped in and wowed us!
Congratulations tot he Best Speakers Arshia Singh, Janei Isaacs, and Kriston Smith.

Thanks to Sarfraz Yacoob and Brina Rai for leading in the assessments of Best Speaker. Sarfraz's exemplary leadership, advice, and support is what guided us in completing this year on such a high note. Thanks to the facilitators Stephon Gabriel, Sara Bharrat, Richard Bhainie, Ellen Gopaul, Sadiyah Yayha, and Feliciann Elliott.

To our partners, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the staff of the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana, Her Excellency Jane Miller and the UK in Guyana - British High Commission, Georgetown, His Excellency Mauricio Crespo and the Embajada De Mexico En Guyana, Guyana Shore Base Inc, and our longstanding partners Fidal Bassier of 55 Photography, BranderZ Guyana, the Board of Directors, Principal and staff of the Saint Joseph High School, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport - Guyana.

Thanks to the Honourable Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud for Opening the National Assembly of Girls, and to the Honourable Minister Susan Rodrigues for continuing her support. Thanks to the European Union Ambassador to Guyana, H.E. Rene Van Nes, and the Deputy Chief of Mission Adrienne Galanek and Political Specialist Shonnette Tross of the United States Embassy in Guyana. And to all the special guests, your attendance made the experience richer.

Together, we have opened the doors for more young women in Guyana to pursue their careers in socio-political development.
Thank you for making it all possible,

Wasim and Cindy, Jairo and Feliz.

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In this Fidal Bassier/ 55 Photography Photo - the Directors present (from left) Jairo Rodrigues, Social Development Director; Cindy Khan, Finance and Operations Director, and Mr Wasim Khan, Executive Director.

Thank you News Room for the coverage.

MOTION DEFEATED | The National Assembly of Girls did not pass the motion to eliminate taxes on essential hygiene products and parental items.

The government - which holds a majority in the assembly - withdrew their amendments to the Opposition-proposed motion, and voted "Nay" because, in their opinion, the motion is unnecessary and irrelevant since most healthcare, hygiene and parental items are zero-rated, and some are already exempted from taxes, which do not cause a tax burden on the populace. The government prefers a motion on holistic programmes to address the issue of vulnerable and disadvantaged families accessing these items, such as local products, health campaigns, and community drives.

In a few hours, the National Assembly of Girls will sit to debate a motion to eliminate taxes on essential hygiene products and parental items.

The Opposition urges the Government of the National Assembly of Girls to reconsider taxing menstrual hygiene products, and parental
products such as diapers which currently are considered “luxury items” under current custom duties, which carries a heavy cost to women and parents. The Motion argues that these items are human necessities, not luxuries, and are essential for health, hygiene, and comfortable livelihoods to all Guyanese families. This motion has received Government support to be
debated, but with scrutiny to the Opposition proposals.

In photo from left: The Hon. Prime Minister, Tavithra Singh, GAP; Clerk of the National Assembly of Girls, Eeshwari Lall; the Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly of Girls, Mya Saunders, GAP; the Sergeant-at-Arms, Roxanne McLean; and the Hon. Leader of the Opposition, Mendy Nicholson, GAP.

Join us live on Wednesday, March 06 on Parliament of Guyana, and The Imperial House pages from 9am for the Opening of the Assembly, and from 11:30am and 2pm for the debates.

Last Saturday Miss Guyana Teen Scholar 2023 Akeelah Andrew was a guest of the Miss Guyana Teen with a Purpose committee as they launched the 2024 season at their sashing ceremony.

She had a splendid time cheering the Delegates on and mixing with the other Royals in attendance.

extends best wishes to the 11 young women vying for the coveted crown. Enjoy the journey! Thanks to Ms Pamela Vaughn and her team for hosting us, it was a pleasure.

📸 Miss Guyana Teen With A Purpose

There will be a sitting of the Second National Assembly of Girls on Wednesday, March 06.
You are invited to watch the live stream of the proceedings.

Opening Ceremony at 9am, featuring speeches by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Girls, Hon. Mya Saunders, GAP; the Prime Minister, Hon. Tavithra Singh, GAP; and the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Mendy Nicholson, Gap; and the Opening Address by the Hon. Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, M.P.

The debates will be live streamed at 11:30am, and 2pm.

At yesterday's Committee sitting, Girls Assemble Parliamentarians (GAP) met with social activist Sara Bharrat who led a session on political lobbying, and Ms Deslyn West, the Assistant Clerk of the National Assembly of Guyana, who went over parliamentary protocols and debate practices.

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, the Honourable Dr. Asha Kissoon, M.P., led a heartwarming discussion with Guyana's future women leaders.

Dr Kissoon is the youngest Deputy Speaker in the history of Guyana's Parliament, and the third woman to ever be elected this position in the 70 years of the history of the legislature.

She urged the Girls Assemble Parliamentarians to qualify themselves, i.e. Read, do online programmes, find a passion, and speak for whatever matters most. She explained that wisdom, and using one's voice is the strength of being a woman.

She went on to explain that safe spaces need to be built to nurture a supportive base for young women. "Empower each other, support and help other women", she said, "You don't need to domineer, step on, dehumanise , or put down anyone to get up in life." Adding to this, Dr. Kissoon made a special plea that young men need to be taught how to behave and treat women, and that the challenge shouldn't be just to protect women from harm, but educating men also. She sympathised that young men are being misguided.

In this regard, the Deputy Speaker urged the Girls Assemble Parliamentarians to improve their communities, not change - since change can also be negative- but improve their communities and the Guyanese society.

A Committee on Motions debated the merits of 10 motions, one or two of which they will put to the floor to be debated at the Sitting of the National Assembly of Girls.

For Republic Day, the Girls Assemble Parliamentarians of the Second National Assembly of Girls toured the Public Buildings - the administrative seat of the Parliament of Guyana. In these photos, they were given a presentation of the Parliament Chamber.

Happy Republic Day 🇬🇾

"Honourable members, I declare this 1st Sitting of the National Assembly of Girls to be duly constituted and in session." - Hon. Mya Saunders, GAP, Speaker of the Second National Assembly of Girls.

All Girls Assemble Parliamentarians (GAP) were sworn in, and sat for their first session where they were briefed on parliamentary practices and procedures, and the agenda of the assembly over the next month.

"I, Mya Saunders, do hereby solemnly declare that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the people of Guyana, especially to the equitable needs and equal rights of women and girls, that I will faithfully execute the office of Speaker of the National Assembly of Girls without fear or favour, affection or ill will, and that in the ex*****on of the functions of that office I will honour, uphold and preserve the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana."

Mya Saunders has been elected the Speaker of the Second National Assembly of Girls.