Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, is encouraging young Barbadians to be risk-takers in entrepreneurship.
Mr. Griffith was speaking at a graduation ceremony for 42 young persons who completed their training in the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) programme. The ceremony was held recently at the Sandals Barbados Resort, St. Lawrence Gap, Christ Church.
In emphasising the importance of self-employment and entrepreneurship, he urged the graduates to take the road less travelled. “There was a point in time, in our journey when you were not expected to own your own business…. You’re breaking the shackles and entering new frontiers in terms of what you’re doing by starting your own business and I salute you,” he noted.
Minister Griffith likened their journey to that of a plane. “So you’re on the tarmac, you’re expected to take flight, and you’re expected to carry some baggage on that plane, and all the baggage that you require to take flight and go as high as possible was provided for you through the staff of Youth Affairs. Forty-two of you are expected not only to taxi, but to take flight and to lift off and go to higher heights,” he said.
The Youth Minister also encouraged them to pursue success beyond the island. “Barbados must not be your destination for you to take flight, circle, and land. You must try to go to another destination with your product or your service, whatever it is. You cannot see Barbados as the only destination for your journey,” he advised.
Mr. Griffith pledged Government’s support to the graduates, stating that it would do all that is necessary to ensure their success.
“Government would have put the Trust Loan in place for persons particularly like yourself. You start with $5,000; you pay that. Then you can go to $10,000 and then there are other agencies within government that you can expand what you want to do. There are really no roadblocks for you in terms of your journey,” he stated.
The Minister indicated that the Ministry would be engaging The University of the West Indies to have the YES certification weighted.