Two heritage (2) sites, one on St. Kitts and the other on Nevis have been chosen for the UNESCO Youth PATH project. Ms. Mutryce A. Williams, National Coordinator of the Youth PATH Project informed that the Advisory Committee, which comprises of several stakeholders and experts in the areas of heritage, planning, education and tourism informed that both sites meet the stipulated criteria set forth by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization's Youth Poverty Alleviation Through Heritage and Tourism Programme.
The Youth PATH project in St. Kitts would be executed in the Capisterre region, which is that geographical area from Newton Ground through Belle Vue, St. Kitts. Two heritage and tourism sites, the Belmont Estate in St. Paul's and Black Rocks in Belle Vue would be the focal point for training of the Youth PATH participants.
The Belmont Estate, located at the base of Mount Liamuiga is a place of historical, cultural and natural significance. It is an excellent example of the once dominant estate sugar mill. Belmont Estate still possesses much of the industrial architecture and some machinery used in the past. Black Rocks is a natural heritage site. Remnants of St. Kitts' once active volcano, Mount Liamuiga, can be seen at Black Rocks.
The selected site in Nevis is the Nevisian Heritage Village at Fothergill's Estate Gingerland. The Nevisian Heritage Village depicts the evolution of Nevisian social history through housing. The houses, dating from the Carib Indian era, are replicas and are furnished with antiques and relics of relevant periods.
Youth PATH's Module 1 training activities: site assessment, planning and organization site preparation, national cultural industries, tour guiding, and community sensitization and mobilization would be focused around these sites.
Youth PATH is a program designed to assist disadvantaged young persons ages 15-25 to optimize economic opportunities, create socio-economic empowerment, and enhance the value of sustainable heritage tourism sites. Young persons in poor communities of the Caribbean are trained in the development and documentation of natural and cultural heritage sites in order for these sites to become centres of internal or international tourism and in so doing, develop entrepreneurial skills for income generation.
For information on the Youth PATH project one may contact Ms. Mutryce Williams in St. Kitts at 668-2455 and Mr. John Guilbert in Nevis at 662-9118.
