MONEY SPENT to prevent young people from embarking on a career of crime and violence is more an investment than a cost.
Minister of Family, Culture, Sport and Youth Stephen Lashley said this as he accepted the draft National Youth Policy from Dr Ivan Henry, consultant on the National Youth Policy Steering Committee at the Grande Salle, Tom Adams Financial Centre, yesterday.
Lashley said: “Even though we are still in a deep recession, the Government is committed to taking up the most important recommendations of this policy document and implementing them to stave off greater expenditure in the future.”
Lashley also said that the Government considered young people to be the main catalysts for many social, political and economic changes.
“We do so not only because this group of young people stand to suffer most from any prolonged economic downturn and concomitant loss of jobs, but also because this group of young people represent the highest educated generation since the attainment of Independence,” the minister said.
“In noting this fact, we must recognize that if Barbados is to survive and prosper, young people have to be given the opportunity to make a significant contribution to national development,” he added.
“I am therefore expecting this draft National Youth Policy to send a clear message to young people to step up to the plate and take their rightful place at the table where crucial decisions are being made about the future of this nation – basically taking responsibility for their inheritance,” Lashley said.
Earlier some of the youth signalled their intentions in a presentation of You See Me by Arts in Motions’ Sabrina Ambrose, Joe Oswald and Tony Cutting expressing their desire to get on board and fully exploit the benefits of the youth policy.
Following the acceptance of the draft, Lashley passed copies to Ruth Parris, chief commissioner of the Girl Guides Association; Kelly Burke, an Anglican youth minister; Andrew Callender of Special Olympics; Jennifer Yarde of the National Library Service; and Rose Clarke of the Duke of Edingburgh Award Scheme.
Lashley disclosed that following one further public consultation on the draft policy at a town hall meeting, he expected that the document would be finalized and approved by Cabinet and tabled in Parliament within the next four months.
