Parliament last night gave the nod to the country’s first National Youth Policy, with Minister of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth Stephen Lashley promising that Government would move quickly to execute the proposals contained in the document.
The resolution to take note of and approve the policy was passed in the House of Assembly at the end of a second day of televised debate, the first being October 16.
In wrapping up the discussion, Lashley promised that the policy would not remain on paper.
“I wish to give the House and certainly the country the assurance that this Government will be moving speedily ahead to ensure that this National Youth Policy can be executed for the benefit of Barbadians,” he said.
Lashley told parliamentarians that while there were many young people involved in service organisations, what was now needed was for that spirit of volunteerism to spread.
He said that would be demonstrated during a two-day national Independence clean-up campaign which would be led by the youth.
The minister also used the opportunity to dismiss a number of claims made during the course of the debate, including an allegation by St Thomas MP Cynthia Forde that projects submitted by the youth commissioners were not being followed up by the ministry.
To counter that, Lashley said that between April and September this year 22 youth projects for several constituencies had been submitted by the youth commissioners to the Director of Youth and all had been approved.
He added that there were 33 such projects approved between 2010 and 2011 to the value of $385 950 and another 38 with a value of $460 676 during the previous one-year period. (DP)
