This week has over the past years been celebrated as Youth Week with a culmination on National Youth Day. This year unfortunately seemed to have been marred with challenges and as a result has not been given the prominence that it deserves. Though regrettable, I encourage us to focus on the reason for the focus and the spirit behind the decision in 1995 to have a Holiday called National Youth Day.
Youth in my mind, remains our greatest asset and resource. They represent energy and life but also promise, hope and future. As we focus on youth this week, we ought to take the opportunity to see where we are going as a people and we should also attempt to view our future through the eyes of our children.
I believe that many will agree with me that our youth are so much more – wiser than we were at their age and many of them are simply brilliant. I celebrate those youth this year who are excelling in so many different disciplines and who continue to place TCI on the regional and international scene in a positive light.
Yet our youth for diverse reasons are today faced with a myriad of challenges that if we do not pay more than lip service to, can cripple their future and veer them off the course to becoming productive citizens. The lack of access to education at all levels, the privilege of sitting and learning in environments that are conducive to the purpose, unemployment, underemployment, abuse of all forms, lack of mentors and persons who are prepared to speak to them and not always at them, lack of opportunities to become employers and to live out many dreams in non – traditional areas especially in sports and expressive forms of art, these are but a few of the challenges faced. Nonetheless I believe that a comprehensive and collaborative approach with deliberate government policy can go a long way together with the continued and increasing partnership with private sector to changing the course that we are on.
I am a firm believer that it is to our country’s detriment if we do not invest more monies and time in our youth. I therefore celebrate those corporate citizens and civic groups whose mandate in helping our future is being fulfilled and evidenced through their donations in so many forms. I recently either became aware of, attended and/or was a part of recent private sector donations and this by no means diminishes what others did that I am unaware of. I say thank you to all but I wish to publicly thank Fortis for their gifts to some of our children, Amanyara for the Learning Center at OJPS, Sandals Foundation for the New Beginnings School for Continued Education and the donation of all the paints for the exterior of CHHS, TCI Paint Supply who also recently donated all of the interior paints to the CHHS, the many sporting bodies but special thanks to Rising Stars and Beaches for their Summer camps that provided wholesome activities for our youth over the Summer, Elite Academy who continues to pave the way for overseas scholarships through basketball for our boys and lastly Dwayne Wade’s Foundation. Partnering in securing a brighter future for our youth is a step in the right direction.
No entity can do it alone. We are all stakeholders in the future of the TCI. Whether we positively engage and invest in our youth determines what type of leaders we will have. We must remember the youth will be tomorrow’s leaders, and it is largely up to us as to what type of leaders they become.
As citizens, let us step up and assist where we can. Let us not allow the future of this country to be bleak when we are raising some of the brightest minds and sparks.
Let us celebrate our youth today and every day, speak positively into their lives and help them up and along when we can. They need us and we need them.
To our youth, much is expected of you. You must continue to choose wisely and make good decisions. Difficult times often produce the best, become one of the best. There remains persons committed to your future but you must yourself first be committed to the best future. Within you lies great promise and great hope. Purpose to live to your greatest potential and plot your path accordingly.
Happy National Youth Day!
May God bless us all.
