Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 27, 2010 (SKNIS): Seventy three proud participants in the Youth Empowerment through Skills (YES) Project were the first batch of students to graduate at a ceremony on Thursday, June 24.
 
The event was held at the St. Johnson Community Centre. A number of officials from the public and private sector attended to celebrate with the persons who were certified in the fields of accounting, business administration, information technology and agriculture.
 
Minister of Youth Empowerment Honourable Glenn Phillip, congratulated the students noting that the certification highlights their abilities to work in the special fields and also can serve as a step forward toward self employment.
 
“I would like to encourage each one of you to envision this … ceremony as a motivational influence in your life and one which encourages you to strive to achieve and maintain high standards of performance in your future endeavours,” Minister Phillip said. “Let it also serve as an inspirational influence on your colleagues so that they too would respect your achievements both now and in the future with integrity.”
 
The YES Project was launched in January 2009 to equip persons between the ages of 16 – 35 years with personal and social development training as well as skills in various professional fields.
 
The project is implemented with the support of the private sector and Minister Phillip thanked the companies that partnered in this initiative by tutoring the students or providing job attachment opportunities. He singled out Sherelene Browne (Agriculture), Khrystus Wallace (Computer Application), Rhyllis Percival and Kerinda Warner (Business Administration) as well as Ralphford Merchant (Accounting) for working with the graduating students.
 
The Minister of Youth Empowerment stressed that “a vision without implementation remains just a dream” and praised Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas for recognizing the value of such an initiative designed to give young persons a second chance. As a result “hundreds of young people within our communities and the nation” have been positively impacted, Minister Phillip stressed.