BASSETTERRE, St Kitts: The opposition People's Action Movement says in the next few days it will lead a drive to get hundreds of youths to sign up for the just announced 'Yes' programme.
 
Government has announced the Youth Empowerment Through Skills (YES) programme, to provide temporary employment to about 500 of the country's youth, who will be assigned on work-training assignment in various government and public departments.
 
"We believe that it is crucial that as many youths as possible get their names in, because they have been marginalized for so long, that they must take advantage of whatever little opportunity there is," PAM's leader Lindsay Grant said.
 
"The programe is a belated and poor imitation of the kind of youth programme PAM has advocated for eight years now, but at this stage we are telling the youths be thankful for small mercies and get involved," said Glenroy Blanchette, a candidate for the opposition party.
 
Blanchette has spent almost two decades working with youths as a teacher, and said he has witnessed the frustration of many of the country's youths face first-hand.
 
"While some might consider it as an eleventh hour gimmick by a government desperately seeking to hold on to power, our argument is that the people's money will be spent anyhow – and that's our money – so we will take it," he said.
 
PAM said it is committed to developing a long-term and sustainable youth training and employment programme once it gets into office.
 
"It is our platform, that for two election cycles now, that has been advocating a holistic approach to youth development and empowerment," Blanchette noted.

"While YES as advocated now does not go far enough, it is a start nonetheless," leader Grant added.
 
"PAM has the vision to take this to a new place, one not rooted in a fifth year political gimmick, but a long term programme that will be there in season and out of season," he said.
 
"I have heard that there has been some resentment among some of the country's youths who have felt that they have been neglected for so long and now almost as if there is an attempt to use them. We say put aside that resentment and get involve," Grant said.
 
He added: "The youths must not be made to feel that they are being done a favor. It is our tax dollars that are being spent on the programme, and it is legitimately theirs.