Government’s commitment to youth development extends beyond efforts to promote personal and career development, but rather to empower them to provide a better quality of life for their families, says Gender Youth and Child Development Minister Clifton De Coteau.
Speaking at last week Wednesday’s staging of the 20th National Youth Awards Ceremony with the theme Portraits of Excellence, held at Queen’s Hall in St Ann’s, he said it was for this reason the state continued to invest in the future of the nation as witnessed in the refurbishment of all six youth facilities across the country at a cost of over $12 million.
The centres, located on Basilon Street; Los Bajos; California; Laventille; Malick; and, St James, provide a safe place for young people to meet and plan for their own development.
“Tonight exemplifies yet another example of what the Government promised for sustainable development as we have upheld two key pillars in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development: People-centred development and a more diversified knowledge intensive economy—building on the native genius of our people. Our nation’s youth have demonstrated your ingenuity, diversified intellectual capacity and tenacity as evidenced by the varied awards categories in which nominations were made,” said De Coteau.
He said: “This year’s ceremony is significant not only because we can once again recognise and pay tribute to outstanding members of the national youth community, but because it marks the 20th anniversary of the National Youth Awards. The National Youth Awards is our flagship event, celebrated in commemoration of International Youth Day.”
The theme of this year’s observance of International Youth Day as declared by the United Nations was Youth Civic Engagement and the ministry according to the minister saw it fitting to highlight the nation’s youth who are actively involved in this noble endeavour.
“Civic engagement is a choice. Civic engagement is doing the right thing because it is the right thing, regardless of the reward or recognition. Civic engagement is helping an elderly neighbour with task that become a bit more difficult with age. Civic engagement is utilising your Facebook and Instagram accounts to create positive social change. Civic engagement is standing up for what is right even if that makes you less popular,” De Coteau said.