(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) CARICOM Secretary-General His Excellency Edwin Carrington has encouraged students from the Anton de Kom University of the Republic of Suriname to assume leading roles in the planning and implementation of decisions that will impact their lives at the national level, as well as to pursue participation in the Regional integration and development process.
The Secretary-General was at the time exchanging views with the group of eighteen university students who visited the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, on Tuesday 21 June, as part of an exploratory visit to Guyana under a project called Experiencing CARICOM.
Leading other officials of the CARICOM Secretariat in an interactive dialogue with the group which focused on Challenges within CARICOM and the Role of Youth, Mr. Carrington noted that Suriname has made inroads in the integration movement since coming on board in 1995 as the first non-English speaking Member State of the Community. He told the students that the Region is positioning itself to operate in an emerging global environment characterised by free trade and competitiveness. In this regard, he cited the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) as vital to cushioning the effects of globalisation primarily on the Region’s traditional agriculture sector.
“One of the much-anticipated benefits of the CSME is the free movement of skilled persons. You are in the process of becoming skilled and have the opportunity to return to any Member State without restriction,” declared Mr. Carrington.
Deputy Programme Manager of the CARICOM Secretariat’s Health Sector Development Programme, Ms Beverly Reynolds informed the students that the Region is paying close attention to safeguarding and preserving its youth, through a number of activities aimed at tackling substance abuse and HIV/AIDS. She stressed that these areas could have a crippling effect on the Region’s economy, and have therefore been placed among the front burner programmes aimed at addressing the well-being of the Region’s youth.
Ms Reynolds told the students, “These issues do have an economic impact on the Region. We recognise the value of our youth and we know that if our youth are to survive these challenges then how we address them must incorporate the views of youth.”
She pointed to the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors (CYA) programme as a forum for the Region’s youth to interface with officials at the highest level, and added that in the CYA programme Suriname has proven to be most active. Ms Reynolds encouraged the students to maximise the benefits offered through the programme for the inclusion of youth in decision-making.
During their exchange, the students were given the opportunity to hear from the Head of the CARICOM Secretariat Culture desk, Dr Hillary Brown. She informed the eager group of predominantly economics students that as primary users and producers of cultural products in the Region, they are well placed to impact positively on the Region’s economic prosperity.
Dr Brown stressed that the Region’s youth, like everyone else, should give due regard to the rights of producers of cultural products, adding that the cultural industries form part of the economic backbone and the identity of the Region.
As a part of their visit to the CARICOM Secretariat, the students were also taken on a guided tour of the New Headquarters Building of the Secretariat. Staff of the Secretariat are scheduled to occupy the building by the end of July 2005.
