An attempt is being made to come up with solutions to some of the burning issues facing this country in relation to crime and violence.

It will come in the form of a symposium hosted by the National Youth Forum on Saturday, November 20, at Solidarity House, Harmony Hall, St. Michael. The meeting is expected to attract some 250 young persons between 15 and 29 and gets under way at 10:00 a.m.

Minister of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, will give an overview of the Draft National Youth Policy while other keynote speakers will be Director of the National Task Force on Crime Prevention, Cheryl Willoughby, and a representative of the Royal Barbados Police Force.

There will also be two plenary sessions involving stakeholders in youth development. Panellists will be Derek Alleyne, Dr. Ivan Henry, Rhonnelle Smith and Damien Mascoll of the National Youth Policy Coordinating Committee; and Mariama Branker and Quincy Jones of the National Youth Forum Interim Steering Committee.

It will also feature a cultural presentation by the Black Rock Artistic Movement (BRAM), singer Barry Reid and spoken word artiste Deidre Barker-Bailey.

The symposium is part of Government’s multi-faceted approach to educate the youth, to give them a voice in this country’s development and to try to reverse the trend towards lawlessness, deviance and crime.

The National Youth Forum was establishes on July 4. ??Further information on the Forum may be obtained by visiting the website www.nationalyouthforum.org or contacting the Ministry of Youth, Family and Sports at 430-2813.??clashley@barbados.gov.bb

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