BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association (SKNYPA) has embarked on an ambitious 2009 agenda in order to further promote its mandates of nation-building and youth development.
SKNVibes contacted the SKNYPA’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Azard Gumbs, who outlined and expounded upon some of the group’s initiatives for the year.
In addition to an ongoing book drive, SKNYPA is also conducting a toy drive from which the proceeds will be shipped to a children’s home in Haiti. According to Gumbs, the humanitarian project is the group’s response to the devastation caused by hurricanes and storms within the past year to the indebted island nation.
He noted the first phase of the book drive had recently been completed with the donation of over 350 books to the Charles A. Halbert Public Library.
“The second phase will be the collection of more books so we can distribute them to the libraries of some of the island’s primary and secondary schools. There are lots of persons who have old books they don’t mind giving away and so instead of letting them just sit there on the shelves, we’re tying to take them and put them in places where they can be utilised and appreciated by more persons,” Gumbs said.
He stated that the group would also be undertaking several fundraising activities throughout the year and would be participating in a variety of volunteer efforts in order to give back to the community.
“The public can also expect follow-up from two projects we established last year; our National Crime Symposium and Project Democracy. In regards to the report from the Symposium, we have circulated it to the relevant stakeholders and the general public and it is our hope that some of the recommendations contained within will be used in shaping the national response to crime.
“Project Democracy is an initiative we undertook to simplify the Constitutional rights so that even persons without any legal training would be able to fully understand the rights that they are entitled to as citizens of this nation. We’ve already simplified five of these rights and compiled them into a document that was laid in the National Assembly last year. Our goal this year is to try to finish the entire set of rights,” the PRO revealed.
Gumbs expressed confidence that this year would be “a fruitful and productive one” for SKNYPA and asked the public to support the group throughout its endeavours.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Plans to do follow-up work from last year’s National Crime Symposium
• Members to participate in various fundraising and volunteer activities
