Young people of the Commonwealth are becoming ever more impatient with the "yawning deficit between our statements of intent and actual action" – Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba.
Caribbean ministers and leaders review progress of youth programmes
24 March 2010
Young people of the Commonwealth are becoming ever more impatient with the "yawning deficit between our statements of intent and actual action" – Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General
Ministers responsible for Youth, youth leaders, and civil society activists from across the Caribbean met in Barbados this week for the Commonwealth Regional Youth Ministers meeting (RYMM).
The two-day meeting allowed the RYMM to carry out a mid-term review of the work of the Caribbean Youth Programme and most importantly allowed Caribbean Ministers responsible for Youth Affairs to discuss existing and emerging youth development priorities, share ideas and best practices, strengthen existing partnerships and forge sustainable frameworks for youth mainstreaming and empowerment.
In her keynote address, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, said that young people of the Commonwealth were becoming ever more impatient with the "yawning deficit between our statements of intent and actual action". The success of the meeting will be defined by its ability to transform policy statements and declarations into action, with meaningful impact, she said.
The Barbados Minister of Youth, Family and Sport, the Hon. Stephen Lashley opened the meeting. He highlighted the major challenges being faced by youth in the Caribbean, including HIV/AIDS and unemployment.
The meeting was attended by 13 countries.
Recommendations included:
- The Commonwealth Youth Programme exploring further opportunities to support entrepreneurship development in schools and developing guidelines for the establishment of inclusive youth organisations;
- Governments honouring their commitments to support the strengthening of youth councils and the Regional Youth Caucus (RYC) as well as developing activities to highlight the contributions of young people in society to mark 2010 as the International Year of the Youth.
Mr Kamal Powell, Chair of the RYC called for the relationship between Ministries of Youth and the RYCs to be strengthened. He also recommended greater access to funding to achieve CYP mandates in the region.
The Deputy Secretary-General held fruitful discussions, including on the issue of youth empowerment, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados, Hon. Maxine McClean.
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During my tenure as CSAP expert to Dominica I had initiated an entrepreneurship awareness programme for school children under Catch Them Young.This pilot programme was very successful in the Island. What we look for in the Caribbean by 2020 is the culture of entrepreneurship.
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