ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, December 5th, 2011  – High school students throughout the Virgin Islands were encouraged to know their human rights and individual responsibilities, and to make informed choices during the National Youth Summit Tour on HIV and sexually transmitted infections.

The tour was conducted by the National AIDS Programme of the Ministry of Health and Social Development in observance of World AIDS Day 2011 on December 1 under the theme, “The Right to be Me and to Beat HIV.”

In observance of World AIDS Day, the National AIDS Programme partnered with the BVI National Commission for UNESCO to host an awareness programme and balloon release at the Elmore Stoutt High School.

Following the commemorative balloon release and programme, Minister of Health and Social Development, Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton spoke with the Department of Information and Public Relations.

The health minister noted that today’s youths were faced with many difficult choices and needed much support and guidance in order to make informed choices.

Honourable Skelton stated, “It is left for us who understand the consequences of their choices to reach them and show them all the available options”.

National AIDS Programme Coordinator, Mrs. Noelene Levons-Clarke also spoke with the Department of Information and Public Relations and expressed her delight with the response of the schools and the students to the first National Youth Summit Tour.

“I believe that the initiative has been a tremendous success and the message is definitely getting out to our young people,” said Mrs. Clarke.

She stated, “We had a team of very knowledgeable and purpose-driven facilitators, including a young person living with HIV touring with us. During the week, we interacted with over 400 students, engaging them in discussions on human rights, safe sex, and used skits to demonstrate life skills such as decision making, refusal and negotiation.”

The territory-wide tour, which targeted youth ages 12 to 24 years, began on November 28. It targeted students at most of the secondary and tertiary institutions on Tortola and the Sister Islands. During the tour, local and regional motivational speakers addressed the students.

Youth peer advocates spoke to the students on the need to understand that choices made in a moment could affect them for a lifetime. They also admonished the young men to treat the young ladies they encountered with respect. Also, they encouraged young ladies not to allow themselves to be used.

Members of the team were Ms. Ann Marie Baltimore, Ms. Sharie-Ann Stapleton, Ms. Michelle Jones, Messrs. Carnel Clyne, Kargil Wright, Sylvester Smith, David Maduro, Jason Rubaine, Melvin Turnbull Junior.

Other activities to observe World AIDS Day 2011 included a condom and red ribbon distribution drive to encourage safer sexual practices by the Leo Club of Tortola and the Ladies of Smart Ambitious Strong Successful (S.A.S.S.); and an HIV/AIDS Awareness Ceremony in the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park.

World AIDS Day is a global celebration which started on December 1, 1988. This is the 23rd year that World AIDS Day was observed in the Virgin Islands.

The National AIDS Programme is the arm of the Ministry of Health and Social Development designed to mitigate the health and socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and the larger community of the Virgin Islands.

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