Gopee-Scoon: Government always acts in the interest of youth

TRADE Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon says the government is "always acting in the interest of young people."

She was speaking in the Senate on Tuesday afternoon during the debate of the Finance (2) Bill, 2022.

The bill proposes new tax breaks for apprenticeship programmes for young people aged 16-25, and also proposes an allowance for companies in the Corporation Tax Act.

Gopee-Scoon said the allowance is "absolutely necessary" as it helps develop the country's human resource capacity and addresses skill gaps and shortages of human resources.

"Therefore, these kinds of programmes continue to not only be developed in TT but across the globe."

She said countries like Japan, the US, the UK, among others, all have structured apprenticeship programmes which are integral to their development strategy.

"It's the foundation of their technical capacity."

She believes the bill shows young people that the government "(has) them at heart."

She said she felt disheartened that members of the Opposition tried to suggest the government has done "very little" for young people.

In 2022, she said, InvesTT created around 1,700 jobs and she added that the On the Job Training programme (OJT) has employed approximately 150,000 people.

"You're all wrong about the fact that government is not doing enough," she told the Opposition.

"Government has certainly done its fair share in terms of apprenticeship programmes, and this time, we are requiring the assistance of the private sector to do this.

"We (are) incentivising the private sector to engage in apprenticeship programmes while ensuring our youths are provided with opportunities for growth and development."