THE BARBADOS National Youth Parliament will soon be back in session and will be a training ground for future politicians.
After previous incarnations met with failure, the framework for the next youth parliament has been laid with more support and a stronger base.
“We want to thank those in the previous youth parliaments for showing us what they did and where they went wrong so we can put this process in place to ensure it’s successful,” said chairman of the youth parliament sub-committee, Melissa Savoury-Gittens, at the East Wing of Parliament yesterday during the opening ceremony of a two-day training programme.
Sixty young people, from secondary and tertiary schools and community organisations up to the age of 21, will be attending lectures and touring the Parliament Buildings.
President of the Youth Development Council, Cherisse Francis, who sits on the sub-committee, said the idea for a nationally sanctioned youth parliament followed the launch of the Youth Development Policy in 2011.
Francis said there was no vehicle for training parliamentarians so the youth parliament allows participants to shadow ministers and see what goes on, preparing them for higher duty should they choose to run for office.
She also said Barbados was hosting the 39th Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association from July 25 to August 1 so the reintroduction of a National Youth Parliament was opportune.
Minister of Youth Stephen Lashley urged the young people to make the most of the opportunity and not to allow this effort to die due to a lack of interest, as had the previous versions.
“It will not be successful unless the youth themselves participate and support its work. Oftentimes there is initial enthusiasm only to be followed by inactivity and disinterest. My challenge therefore to the youth of Barbados is to support the institution that you have asked for.”
He said he would be monitoring the development of “parliament”.
“We simply cannot be talking about improving our social, political and economic circumstances and have our young people opt out of the very process that is critical for the sustained development of our country,” he said. (CA)
