Attorney-at-law, Sade Jemmott, and teacher, Mosiah Hoyte, are Barbados??? new CARICOM Youth Ambassadors.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, made this announcement last Friday, October 25, during a press conference at his ministry at Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael.
Stating there were 17 applicants who vied for the posts this year, the Minister said he was pleased with the selection of the island???s newly appointed representatives. ???I believe that they are fully inspired and confident enough to help us to build the kind of system and programmes across the region that will certainly benefit Caribbean young people,??? he stated.
Explaining that the CARICOM Secretariat annually embarks on a Youth Ambassadors Programme, Minister Lashley noted that this initiative sought to mobilize youth across the region to participate in endeavours relevant to the Caribbean experience, while leveraging on their national experience.
The Youth Minister outlined that the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors would be responsible for advocacy outreach, peer education and representing youth interest at technical policy-making meetings within CARICOM and at national youth empowerment programmes.
Speaking about her recent appointment, 25-year-old, Sade Jemmott said that the strategic plan for the ambassadors??? one year tenure would take a two-pronged approach.
???First we will focus on public education, really [sharing] the concept of Caribbean Integration, its intended benefits, its positives to the youth and the wider community. We will also place significant focus on projects, tangible deliverables [and] initiatives that will demonstrate the benefits of Caribbean integration at the local and community levels,??? Ms. Jemmott said.
She further pointed out, ??????through these two approaches, we will be able to foster and facilitate interactions with the average young person and we will be able to represent their needs??? and be truly representative of their concerns as well as their contributions.???
Meanwhile 24 year old Mosiah Hoyte said, ???I believe I will be impacting not only the youth locally but I will be able to get a better understanding of the issues that affect them and take those issues to a regional level and use policies??? such as the National Youth Policy, in an effort to create programmes that can benefit youth locally and regionally.
shamkoe.pile@barbados.gov.bb