Dominica's Youth called to take advantage of opportunities

Hundreds of women and young people from communities across the island turned out on Sunday in Mahaut for the Dominica Labour Party’s Youth and Women’s Congress.

The event was held at the Mahaut Primary School and was attended by DLP Leader Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, President of the Party Hon. Petter Saint Jean, other DLP parliamentarians and party supporters donned in their party colors.

Minister for youth affairs Hon. Justina Charles told young DLP supporters that they should take advantage of the opportunities provided for them by the Government.

“The Dominica Youth Business Trust, The Small Business Support Unit and the Agricultural Investment Unit are all sectors within the Government set up specifically to give support to youth entrepreneurship ventures that will assist in your economic and total development… This is information for you, information that you can pass on to others so that [you] can take advantage of those opportunities.  Too often people sit in their communities and say there is nothing to be done.  They do not try to search for the opportunities and when they do find them, [they] do not embrace them.  The opportunities are endless.  Never before in the lives of our young [people] did we have all these opportunities that we have today. Through these sectors the young people have a gateway to prosperity.  All it takes is a positive attitude, a sound mind and the will to do something different.  You must be able to use your initiatives and spread your wings across your own limitations because the possibilities are endless my friends.”

Hon. Justina Charles is also the Parliamentary representative for the Grandbay constituency and Minister for Youth Affairs. She called on the young DLP supporters to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the current administration in education.

"Your Labour Party Government seeks to ensure that our young people are equipped with the best tool for empowerment and this is education and skills.  I say to you young people, a sound education is the gateway to gaining what can be considered a reasonable income earning job, the gateway to purchasing your SUV’s,  your land, building and owning your house; your gateway to getting out of poverty and assisting your parents, your family and yourselves, to live and enjoy a decent life.  I want to ask one simple question… Which administration has ever provided our youth with opportunities for academic growth like this Labour Party? Not one!  The Government through the Youth Development Division provides you with opportunities for skills development in ICT, electricity, construction, plumbing, tile laying, sewing and other life skills.  These are just a few among the many skills training offered by the youth division.  In addition to this, the division secures placement for those trained. These people continue to work on a permanent basis.”

The minister reiterated the need for the island’s youths to take advantage of the opportunities now to prepare themselves for an increasingly competitive global environment.

President of the Party, Hon. Petter Saint Jean told the women and youth present that, “It is absolutely necessary that you take advantage of the programmes that are organized both by the party and the Government for your well-being.  You need to take advantage of the programmes that we have in education because you need to secure for yourself a solid future so that you can continue the leadership of the Dominica Labour Party.”

Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit says the current administration will continue to do all it can to assist young people.

“I give you the assurances young people and parents that as long as this Labour Party Government is in office, we’ll continue to forge ahead to ensure we create opportunities for you young people of Dominica.  I do not want any young person to be in the street to say that they cannot get in to school; we have to create those opportunities. I do not want any young person to stay home because they cannot pay their tuition fees.  The cabinet and [I] have given instruction to the minister for education to pay the tuition fees for every child who needs help at the Dominica state college.”

The Roosevelt Skerrit Administration continues to create opportunities for the island’s young people.