BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER OF YOUTH Hon. Shawn Richards has called on youths within the Federation to participate in the Government’s new Federal Youth Policy Initiative.
This initiative which was launched yesterday (Oct.11) at the Ocean Terrace Inn, is a signal that the Government has heard the plea of young people within St. Kitts and Nevis for them to be included in decision making.
“I am therefore appealing to all young people to get on board with this initiative, whether you are a young man, a young woman, youth with disability, unemployed, school aged youth, rural youth, youth heading a household, a youth in conflict with the law and incarcerated, youth abusing dependency creating substances, sexually abused or exploited youth, you are welcome,” Richards said.
He explained that they are the targets of this new policy initiative, where the Government is looking to address the many challenges they face and recommend solutions and measures for their improvement.
The Policy Initiative, according to Richards, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, would seek to finalize the existing draft National Youth Policy that has been around for close to 15 years.
In a ceremony described as a historic occasion by Richards and his counterpart in the Nevis Island Administration, Hazel Brandy-Williams, a number of other government officials and the spearhead of the initiative, Commonwealth Youth Consultant, DwynetteEversley, all engaged the media on what is expected in the new document to be completed next year.
The objectives of the Policy Initiative, Minister Richards explained, are clear and two-fold. He said “it is to formalize a new youth policy which has currency and relevancy to our young people” and also “to outline cross-sectional strategic action plans that would translate the policy into time bound youth development programmes and activities across St. Kitts and Nevis”.
“The Federal Youth Policy is designed to be the central planning tool for youth intervention throughout the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. It is intended to serve as an overarching policy guide towards mainstreaming youth development in every ministry of government over the next five years,” he added.
In giving support to the initiative, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that the plan must be robust, current and meet the needs of the nation’s youth, while at the same time taking into account the economic landscape of the country and recent developments at the international level, including climate change and human rights.
“It must also be a policy that provides for accessibility, diversity, participation and social cohesion, volunteerism, transparency, sustainable development, [and] social protection. These are all of the principles of the Youth Policy that are geared towards developing the ideal youth of passion, creativity, discipline, culture, human dignity, moral and spiritual awareness, patriotism, economic participation, self-expression and leadership,” he stressed.
Junior Minister in the Nevis Island Administration, the Hon. Brandy-Williams, who is a product of the youth programmes, noted that she has learnt that a Youth Policy is very essential and a point of reference for the people, youth groups and practitioners.
“I wait in anticipation however for the day when we would hold the completed document in hand. Youth development is dynamic! With all the continued changes in trends, the emergence of new focus areas and terminology, and the increase in exposure through technology and technological advances, the need for our youth to have a working document and a proper document has long gone,” Brandy said.
She was referring to the working document that the Team Unity Administration saw when they took office last year.
Brandy informed that the document would be modified to come up with an overall National Policy that would touch all facets of youths in the Federation.
She indicated that the initiative would see youth leaders entering various communities in St. Kitts and Nevis to encourage other young people to get on board.
The document is expected to be presented in the middle or latter part of 2017 and is a joint venture among UNESCO, the St. Kitts and Nevis Government and the Commonwealth office in the United Kingdom.
