Speaker: Youths must speak on national issues

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives Bridgid Annisette-George said it is important for young people who have the ability to articulate their views on critical issues, to do so on behalf of their counterparts who cannot.

She expressed this view at the closing ceremony of the 20th National Youth Parliament at the Red House, Port of Spain on Monday.

In a virtual address to the youth parliamentarians, Annisette-George told them that their constituents in this forum were the children of TT.

"Youth must speak on and for youths and youths must speak on all national issues."

Annisette-George said that was critical because "national issues impact them too and impact them in ways that are very different to adults."

She praised the youth parliamentarians for the maturity and knowledge they displayed in debating a motion to abolish the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination.

Annisette-George said the level of research that they had done on this topic over their last six weeks of preparation for the youth parliament was remarkable.

She added that the issue of whether or not to abolish the SEA continues to be an ongoing topic of national conversation.