Parliamentary Secretary of Youth Affairs, Community Services and Sports, Hon Jermaine Wade. *Photo credit: www.zjb.gov.ms
BRADES/CARICOM Secretariat, Guyana (January 29, 2010) – The Hon Jermaine Wade, former CARICOM Youth Ambassador, (now Parliamentary Secretary of Youth Affairs, Community Services and Sports) told the Special Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) that politicians must do more than pay lip service to the youth.
Mr. Wade is part of the Montserrat delegation attending the COHSOD and the Special CARICOM Summit on Youth Development which will began today in Paramaribo, Suriname. He told the gathering that politicians very often feigned support for youth in the hope of either silencing them or manipulating their support for political gains.
In his estimation this kind of ‘tokenism’ could not foster development and by extension regional development. “It’s time to honestly recognize the importance of genuinely involving the youth in the critical decision-making machinery of the Community,” Mr. Wade asserted.
Urging youth to be ready to participate, the Parliamentary Secretary said “when you are given the opportunity to participate, you must demonstrate that you are not just willing, but also ready to step up and speak up for CARICOM.”
The COHSOD’s main business was to discuss in detail the Report of the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) on the situation of youth in the Caribbean and according to the Secretary-General Carrington, its task was to fashion the framework for action to be taken on the recommendations of the Commission.
At the opening ceremony the speakers agreed that youth participation in the Caribbean Community would have to be given greater attention not only by Heads of Government but by the Ministers responsible for implementing policies. But the message which resonated from all speakers was a charge for CARICOM citizens to step out and standout for CARICOM.
Barbados Youth Ambassador, Christaneisha Soleyn opened the innings, by challenging Ministers of Youth attending the COHSOD to find the time to dialogue with their young people, provide guidance to them and solicit from them advice on how best to address their unique situations. She then noted that young people had progressed steadily from where they were “heard and not seen,” to where they now have a voice,” and charged her peers to use that voice to promote the Caribbean Community.
“You are creative talented and passionate,” she declared, “use your creativity, your talent and passion to contribute to national development; and now that you have a say, you must stand up straight with backbone; step up and stand out for CARICOM,” she challenged.
Suriname’s Minister of Education and Community Development, the Hon. Edwin Wolf reminded the COHSOD that at every level, suitable measures and actions should be taken to put appropriate conditions in place to help young people to develop their potential: “The clichéd phrase that “youth of today is the future of tomorrow,’’ should be discarded. The future of young people is NOW….TODAY, we must listen to them; TODAY we must help them so they can develop their potential and become responsible citizens who can make a contribution to the country and the Region.”
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