His Excellency Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), officially launched a project entitled 'Students Engaging the CSME through Field Promotions' during a press conference in Barbados on Thursday 11 September 2008.
Sixty young people selected from colleges and universities in three Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States will be the initial beneficiaries of the project and will be travelling to a fellow CARICOM Member State where they will learn more about the country and opportunities within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Secretary-General Carrington said the project would commence a process of exchange and interaction among young people in the Community. He thanked the European Union for the financial support for the project. The 9th European Development Fund (EDF) Caribbean Integration Support Programme (CISP) has generously provided €92 500 in development assistance. The CARICOM Secretariat is responsible for the project’s implementation.
Twenty students from Belize will visit Trinidad and Tobago from the 15 to 19 September 2008. Mr. Carrington said he was pleased that Belizean students would be the first to benefit, describing that country as a central member of CARICOM.
Commenting on the practical nature of the project, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Integration, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque said the country visits would demonstrate to the participants in a hands-on way, various opportunities within the CSME, such as establishing a business or providing a service.
Also at the press conference was Programme Manager of the CARICOM CSME Unit, Mr. Ivor Carryl who explained that with this project, the CARICOM Secretariat wanted to utilise a different strategy in its Public Education programme. He said the focus was on the youth of the Community, starting with senior students from the Region's tertiary institutions.
He also explained that the students would learn about the CSME by practical experience, not by lectures. “We are quite excited about this project,” he stated.
After the Belize leg of the Field Promotion, twenty students from Suriname will visit Barbados from 29 September to 3 October, while the third and final leg will see the same number of students from Dominica visit Jamaica from 30 September to 4 October.
During each leg of the Field Promotion, the students will visit various departments of government concerned with domestic commerce, foreign trade, labour, finance and establishment of companies. They will also engage Private Sector companies and have the opportunity to meet with senior officials and their peers.
The object of this project is to engage the next generation in identifying career opportunities in wage employment, self employment and starting a business within the CSME. After the completion of the Field Promotion, each student is expected to write a report as well as make presentations to their peers in their home country.
Mr. Salas Hamilton, Specialist, Communications at the CARICOM Secretariat's CSME Unit, explained that this initiative was only one of several facilitated through the Secretariat’s Public Education programme. Over the last two months workshops for broadcasters, newspaper editors and CARICOM Youth Ambassadors have been held.
The Field Promotions continue next year with young people from nine other member states.
