SPEECH BY HONOURABLE MONTY A. ROBERTS MINISTER OF HOUSING, YOUTHS, SPORTS & COMMUNITY SERVICES OF ST.VINCENT

11/09/1998

Mr. President
Your Excellencies
Colleague Ministers of Government
Ladies and Gentlemen

I bring you greetings from the Government and people of St.Vincent and the Grenadines or "Hairouna, as the indigeounous people, the Caribs called it - Home of the Blessed".

I am pleased to be here in the beautiful city of Lisbon, for the first ever World Conference of Ministers with Responsibility for Youth.

The other members of the delegation, (who are representatives of the National Youth Council) and I would like to express our sincerest appreciation to the Government and people of Portugal for the hospitality extented to us since our arrival.

The Government of St Nincent and the Grenadines has deemed it a necessity to attend this event to ensure that we are a part of the process of crystalizing the global Agenda for Youth Development in the new millennium.

Faced with the reality of a youthful Vincentian society, we have deliberately placed youths high on our National Development Plan. The goal is to ensure an empowered youth who can effectively participate on the local, regional and international arenas.

Our country's total population is approximately one hundred and eigth thousand (108,000), with youth under the age of thirty constituting 67.7%, according to our last Population Census.

The implication of this reality is obvious and far reaching, especially when considering all facets of youth and youth development, which includes; participation, education, employment, health and other sociopolitical issues.

In St.Vincent and the Grenadines, we are cognizant of the problems with which we are faced and aware of our responsibilities. Our motto is " Investments in our youth are investments now and in the future". In 1989,, we embarked on a series of national consultations which involved the active, uninhibited and committed participation of a wide cross-section of young people, NGOs and adults.

Emanating from these consultations, interact'on and exchange of and concepts, a National Youth Policy was developed and has now been accepted by the Government. We have also set up a National Youth Commission which serves as an advisory body to the government on youth development. This body consists of Government officials, NGOs, and reprensentatives of civil society.

It would be remiss of me (and my collegues may not forgive me) if I did not say, that the base document which was used for consultation purposes was drafted by the National Youth Council, who also proposed the establishment of the National Youth Commission, a clear demonstration of youth leadership and initiative.

Proudly I say, St. Vincent and the Grenadines now has a document, an active document I might add, which acts as a guide to Government and other Policy Implementing Agencies, as to the role that youth have al's partners in enhancing and enriching our country and making the world a better place. I have here a copy of our National Youth Policy. I wish MF. President, with your permission, to lay it on the table so that it can be made available to this Conference, and in particular those countries who are yet without a National Youth Policy.

With this said, Mr. Chairman, I wish to forge ahead. As Youth Minister with responsibility for Housing, Sports and Community Servives I am enthused about the continued implementation of the World Plan of Action for the year 2000 and Beyond, in collaboration with the Braga Youth Action Plan and the Lisbon Declaration. I think we have all come to recognize that youth policies can not be formulated in isolation, but, must be adequately incorporated into all public policies.

We in St.Vincent and the Grenadines look forward to new era in our nation's development, with youth taking a greater responsibility for their own destiny. No longer will our youths be on the receiving end of policy, plans and programs, but rather they will be able to shape their own pathways, working in close partnership with all government departments.

Permit me please to expound on some of the efforts that will be embarked on.

Our government has proposed the establishment of a Nfillennium Commission which will be chaired by the Prime Minister and made up of young people. This is a demonstration of the seriousness with which our government have for youth and their concerns.

This commission, fundamentally will give youths an opportunity to dialogue directly with the Prime Minister, as consultations will be held nationwide, at very grassroots levels. Youths will have the opportunity to express their views, ideas and possible solutions to such things as the effects of globalisation on our agricultural sector, and in particular bananas, and the issues of the Tourism Indistry and Constitional Review, just to name a few.

Complementing these consultations will be a National Youth Survey, which will give us impenical evidence of the current state of youth affairs, thus helping to further'address youth issues.

We look forward to the establishment of a Youth Information Centre, which will help our youth to have access to all forms of information, relating to youth, youth issues and youth organisation. In particular the.. contacts they will make with the outside world through the use of tKe internet. Indeed, the Infornatics Industry is the new direction of the world.

We also, foresee real growth in the economy, as the atmosphere for youth business initiative is enhanced by greater emphasis being placed on the promotion of micro - credit and training. The government hosted the Commonwealth Regional Consultation on youth credit Initiative implementation, which would draw on the experience and success of the Gramin Bank of India and other such initiatives. It will also serve to put in place a Micro - Credit Management Systems to ensure sustainability and long term development. This we hope would help to satisfy the socio - economic needs of our country.

I can go on and on with things that my government proposes, but I wish to stay here, and to make a commitment which I hope we as Youth Ministers will all make. Governments may have a good idea of what youth need, but youths have the best ideas. Let us as governments, work in collaboration with our youth, recognising them as important partners in national development. Together I believe we can make a real difference. Let us like great athletes in a relay race make a smooth baton pass, to ensure the best chance of winning the race. Finally, I urge that the necessary support systems be put in place to aid youth tomake the best opportunity with these new responsibilities being placed on their shoulders.

Mr. President
Your Excellencies Collegue Ministers of Youth
Ladies and Gentlemen

In closing I wish to share that the invaluable lessons we in StNincent and the Grenadines have learnt from working in partnership with youth have demonstrated that cooperation and consultation at every level brings the greatest rewards. When youths are meaningfully involved and given the opportunity to participate, they can then identify with policies, programmes and plans and feel a sense of ownership, thereby making the best of every opportunity offered.

I wish this Conference a successful conclusion in adopting the LisbonDeclaration, which has urged Governments to place youth high on theiragendas.

I thank you.