Guyana National Service
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| Public service organization overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1971 |
| Dissolved | 2000 |
The Guyana National Service was a public service organization, including a paramilitary element, formed in Guyana in 1973 and disbanded in 2000, amidst some controversy.[1]
The service was created following recommendations by United Nations consultant Robert F. Landor, to address youth unemployment and modeled after the National Service of Tanzania.[2] "Prime Minister Burnham authorized the formation of the Guyana National Service in 1974 as a 1,500-person paramilitary force. He envisioned it as a way to mobilize the youth of Guyana. GNS recruits ranged from ages eight to twenty-five."[3] Guyanese youths who joined, mostly aged 15–20, were sent to three months of military training, followed by agricultural training.