Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 31, 2015 (SKNIS)—Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Honourable Shawn Richards, is of the view that the future of St. Kitts and Nevis is in good hands with the current crop of young people and that it is only a small number of youth who are engaged in anti-social behaviour.
“I entered politics and was elected at the age of 31 and I know that you have other young persons out there—and there are persons who are elected at an even younger age—and you have quite a number of young persons out there making achievements, contributing positively to the development of St. Kitts and Nevis,” Richards said on “Working for You,” the Government’s weekly call-in radio programme.
On November 12, the 25 most remarkable teens in St. Kitts and Nevis will be awarded in a special sitting of Parliament by the Government of National Unity, following a tradition started by the previous administration.
However, DPM Richards said more has to be done to promote the positive work of young people. One way of doing that, he said, is creating radio and television programmes that are geared towards the youth, but he acknowledged that this can be costly. He thus suggested that the Youth Empowerment Department could start producing media programmes done by the youth themselves and airing them on the state owned ZIZ Broadcasting at special rates to cover airtime costs. He noted that based on a recent regional youth meeting he attended in Jamaica, social media has to be used more in engaging young people as they are not intrigued by the traditional forms of media such as newspapers, television and radio news, and newsletters.
In a bid to highlight some of the positive contributions of young people, the youth minister pointed to some of St. Kitts and Nevis’ CARICOM Youth Ambassadors who will be representing the country at overseas youth meetings.
One of the nation’s CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Dennis McCall, and Minister Grant are expected to travel to Guyana to represent the Federation at a meeting of a project that was piloted in five CARICOM countries including St. Kitts and Nevis. That project benefited the Cayon High School where Mr. McCall also teaches.
There is also a youth forum in Malta where two St. Kitts and Nevis’ CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, Joy Napier from Nevis, and Travis Bell will attend. Napier operates her own private school in Nevis. Another alternate CARICOM Youth Ambassador Mervil Nisbett, is expected to attend the CTO Youth Conference in Curacao in November.
“Those are only four young persons, but they indeed represent quite a large number of young persons here in St. Kitts and Nevis who are doing quite well,” Richards said.
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