Dominica’s Ambassador to CARICOM and the OECS, His Excellency Felix Gregoire, has called on youth within the OECS to be prepared for the global environment.
Ambassador Gregoire spoke with GIS news on the OECS 35th anniversary activities on Tuesday 14th June.
He says while the OECS has already achieved free movement between member states, the OECS is now trying to attain free circulation of goods.
Ambassador Gregoire expressed that the aim is also to foster unity among the youth within OECS member states.
“We are looking at number, more persons you have the stronger you are in various aspects such as commerce; foreign affairs, numbers will matter and that is what we are aiming at. Some people have bought into it but some people are still debating if it is necessary. The youth is where the future is in unity because if we can get the youth to buy in the OECS unity then the work has been done. We are now engaging the youth so that they can take over the work that is required to be done.”
On June 8th, the OECS commission launched the OECS youth strategy under the brand OECS yes.
The strategy was developed based on the need for greater attention and action to issues directly affecting OECS youth.
The goal of this initiative is to develop a youth empowered society by focusing on key areas crucial to young people: Yes I belong- citizenship & identity, yes I earn- employment & entrepreneurship, yes I express- creativity & culture, yes I inherit- environment & sustainable development, yes I learn- education & training, yes I matter- child & youth protection and yes I move- healthy lifestyles.
He stated that the goal is to prepare the youth to be competitive regionally and internationally.
“A number of programmes will be geared towards businesses, getting them to be business oriented in their thinking… that is how we want our students to think, that they can excel in whatever avenue and field that they do themselves and their families and their country proud.”
