THE young people in Barbados have the ability to take this island forward.
This is according to Senator Andre Worrell, who delivered the feature address at the Charity Awards Dinner of the United Youth Leaders of Barbados (UYLB) to mark their ten-year anniversary on Saturday night at Almond Bay Caterers.
He told those young people who are a part of organisations, such as the UYLB, that they need to spread the word of all of the good work that they are doing, both within their own non-profit as well as working in collaboration with organisations such as the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) as this would help to overshadow all of the negativity that tends to be associated with young people in this country.
“You need to start spreading and sharing that positive message and denouncing all of the negativity associated with youth in Barbados because youth in Barbados – they are not lost – not when there are people like you who are sitting in this room. Not when there are persons like yourself who give of your time and your energy to organisations like this United Youth Leaders of Barbados and work along with the NCSA and churches and school groups to promote positive activities among our young people.”
The Senator stated that this can be accomplished by getting involved in any of the youth-based community organisations that are in Barbados to lend of their skills, knowledge and time in whatever capacity they can.
“Thankfully we have organisations such as the United Youth Leaders of Barbados, the Barbados Youth Development Council, the YMCA and a number of different organisations who go out there and work hand in hand with a number of community groups, a number of schools and church groups. The NCSA is widely represented here as well. We need to promote and highlight them more and the only person that can do that for you is you yourself as young people.”
This in turn would show the general public that contrary to popular belief, not all young people are lost. In fact, there are many more out there who are actually involved in positive activities.
“So it is not lost. You are keeping it alive and you are keeping it on track. You have made ten years and I believe that you can make many more and I think that you should applaud yourself for that... And note that you are capable and that you have the ability to take Barbados forward because the onus is on you to take Barbados forward, not just now, but over the next 50 years.”