YES Programme funds going into proper use

BASSETERRE ST. KITTS (June 1, 2009) -- An instructor with the Youth Empowerment through Skill (YES) programme has defended the amount of money being paid to participants of the programme which was launched on February 13 this year, saying that it is money well spent.
 
Dominic Stevens, instructor Hospitality Division YES Programme at Conaree Community Centre said on Friday May 29, that from the weekly stipend of $300 that his 30 students are each receiving, they have been able to buy uniforms for themselves and also the ingredients that enabled them to prepare and host a luncheon as part of their training.
 
“A lot of people have been going around not knowing much about the programme, not knowing what is happening, yet they are saying the government is wasting money,” lamented Stevens. “Our intention this afternoon is prove all the doubters and the critics wrong.”
 
He explained that his group in Conaree got together and collected money from each other, to host some overseas visitors and their Hospitality Division colleagues from St. Paul’s and Lodge. Also invited was the Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas, but who could not make it as he had travelled overseas. He sent the area parliamentary representative, Cedric Liburd, to represent him.
 
“So the money that was spent wasn’t sponsored money,” said Stevens. “In fact we did not get a single sponsor to do any of what we are doing. It came from their (students) pockets, every single one of them. Yes, it is true that at the end of the week as long as they attend class, they get $300. But we are here to show the people where that $300 is going – into a good and worthy cause.”
 
As for the uniforms they wore, Stevens explained that he had instructed them to have uniforms specially made for each department and commented how happy he was to see them looking very professional wearing uniforms bought from the weekly stipend they are receiving.  
 
“We need to understand that you get out of life what you put in,” said the instructor. “You use what you have but you will get back tenfold as long as you use it for a good cause. I can tell you: Over the last three weeks, these students have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars getting themselves ready – uniforms, shoes to hairstyles. I was told after eleven last night they were still here getting their hair done, getting ready for today.”
 
Saying that he was happy with the results the students have posted so far, even though the training still has another four months before it is officially over, the instructor said that those students would have been written off by the society, but he was presenting to the society a disciplined team that is ready to join the world of work and that he was very proud of them because they had shown to him that they were confident in what they did and were positive minded.
 
In thanking the media for covering the function, he said: “My intention was to put my students on display. To put them out to the public, to sell them to the public and to show the public these are persons you were ready to write off, but now these are persons I am giving back to you.
 
“They are ready to go out in the field of work, yet we still have another three-four months in the programme and the development that I have seen today they have to wait until that four months is finished – sky is the limit for them.”