Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Cheryl Alleyne and Director of Youth Affairs, Cleviston Hunte, taking a look at some of the products on sale at this booth during the Youth Enterprise Expo and Talent Show, at Sky Mall on Saturday. (S. Forde/BGIS)

Entrepreneurship is now a viable career, and young people are naturally progressing towards owning their own business, and are creative and innovative in their ideas.

Acting Manager of the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES), Ryan Moseley, made this assertion as he spoke to patrons of the Youth Enterprise Expo and Talent Show, held on Saturday at Sky Mall.

“This has been a rough time for entrepreneurs on a whole, but today we are giving them an opportunity to showcase their talents and products,” Mr. Moseley said, as he encouraged persons in the mall to visit the 30 booths on display.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Cheryl Alleyne, who delivered remarks on behalf of Minister Dwight Sutherland stated: “Entrepreneurship has been declared as a critical component within the country’s overall recovery strategy and is consistent with the view documented in the National Youth Policy (2011-2016).

“Goal (A) speaks to the reduction of unemployment by ensuring that young people are “gainfully occupied” after leaving school. The objectives therein support the creation of specialised training in creative disciplines such as sports, entertainment, the arts, craft, fashion and beauty services, leading to the establishment of viable business enterprises.”

Ms. Alleyne noted that the event brought to an end another successful edition of National Youth Week celebrations, where the talents and skills of the island’s young people were displayed in a diversity of ways, including the Youth Employability Summit and the National Youth Stakeholders Consultation.

Operations Director of NSR Ltd (property owners of Sky Mall), Everick Eastmond, noted he had a long relationship with the YES and encouraged its management “to keep on doing what they are doing to broaden the skills of [young people] and of course to allow this type of intervention [Expo]”, as it allowed entrepreneurs the opportunity to see their idea become a reality and be able to share their business with the public.

The Youth Enterprise and Talent Expo featured a wide cross-section of business enterprises offering locally made and designed products and services including jewellery, skin care, natural wines, paintings, craft and a PR firm. 

It also afforded young entrepreneurs to earn additional income, as they presented their businesses offerings, both products and services, to a wide and varied Barbadian audience.

During the talent and fashion show segment, shoppers were treated to entertainment by Tykairi Sargeant, bashment soca artiste Walkes and the Haynesville Youth Group (drummers/dancers); as well as fashion pieces from local designers, including Cherise Ashby, Junior Sealy and Alyssa Goddard. 

sheena.forde-craigg@barbados.gov.bb

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