Youth Development Minister says: Moruga farm school coming

A “farm school” in Moruga and new youth development centres were among projects announced by Minister of Youth Development and National Service Fitzgerald Hinds during his contribution to the budget last week in the House.

He said at the “pinnacle” of his ministry was the youth development activity centres or what were previously called youth camps. He recalled there were four camps in 1964, including one for females, in El Dorado. He said a previous UNC administration “whittled down” these youth camps but there had been a strong call from young people for them to be re-established.

Hinds said there were currently two camps, one at Chatham and one at Presto Praesto and there are plans to develop, modernise and digitise them.

He also said the highest intake for these centres was currently 120 residents but Government plans to increase this to 250. There is also a plan to build a new centre in Wallerfield in the east and rebuild a centre in Chaguaramas.

He said Government had established an inter-ministerial committee to look at the operations of apprenticeship centres or so-called youth camps. He added that a “very comprehensive” study was completed, which included the value of the centres and their problems, and will be used a guide.

He said some of the challenges reported included the gangs and drugs, increase in other programmes competing for resources, desire for higher stipends, and a negative stigma from institutionalisation. “But the benefits identified far outweighed those and we are determined to establish them.”

He said money has been allocated in the budget for the centres, including $25 million for the Chaguaramas and Wallerfield centres. He also reported the country’s seven activity centres will be “reactivated with full force.”

He explained some of the programmes under his new ministry came from National Security, but added, “We don’t see youth as a national security problem or to be fixed. We see the youth of the nation as being able to make a continual contribution to development of our country and economy.”

He announced an employment database, which was not a job placement system, but meant to identify gaps in skills and direct young people to the programmes available. He said there are also plans for an apprenticeship database with businesses of all sizes and to expand and improve mentorship database.

Hinds also announced an academic focus in all programmes, adding that some participants had issues with numeracy and literacy which prevented them from advancing. The programmes will also teach issues such as life skills, entrepreneurial skills, employability, manhood, womanhood and financial literacy.

He also announced a planned consultation on national service and training will take place online. Hinds said the youth development programmes will include and be led by agriculture, in keeping with Government’s mandate for food and nutrition diversity.

To this end Government also planned to construct a “farm school” in the Moruga area which will focus on teaching youths modern skills and modern technology. He pointed out that an agro-processing and light industrial park had previously been set up in Moruga.