YOUNG PEOPLE should not be held back because adults and the ministry cannot think outside the box.
In encouraging youngsters to follow their dreams, Minister of Family, Youth and Sport Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo said it was equally important for parents, teachers and Government to believe youths could reach the stars and help them to get there.
Byer-Suckoo, who was speaking at the 2008 National Youth Awards at the Frank Collymore Hall on Saturday, noted though that youngsters were often discouraged from following their dreams because they wanted to pursue non-traditional careers.
“Worst yet, we refuse them scholarships or loans and grants because it’s not on a list of approved topics; and I think that is sad.
“I think that in this day and age, when we are telling our children that they should dare to dream, we should dare to change that list. We limit children to what we know, to our experiences. Yes, our role is to provide guidance, but we also have to broaden our horizons if we are to help them to broaden.”
Move forward
The minister said that while Barbados had provided well for its youths, the country had to prepare them to be citizens of the 21st century.
She said it was time to move forward and not rest on programmes that worked well in the past.
Byer-Suckoo encouraged all those involved with the youth not to let their flicker of hope die by the stresses.
“Everyone must fan this flame so that we can have a brighter tomorrow,” she said.
