In Brief
- A Las Cuevas resident says he is encouraged by the Government’s new approach to youth development, citing programmes that offer qualifications, practical skills and links to employment.
- He contrasts this with the previous administration, pointing to the Auditor General’s 2024 findings on unauthorised cheque collections and irregular recruitment, and the poor results of the Military-Led Academic Training programme.
- He welcomes the Hospitality and Service Training programme, the work with YTEPP and the planned National Youth Policy, saying young people deserve results, accountability and opportunity.
Dear Editor,
Living in Las Cuevas, I often think about how many young people leave school full of hope, only to struggle to find proper training or employment. As a citizen, I am encouraged by the direction youth development is now taking under the present Government. It is refreshing to see greater attention being paid to programmes that can give our young people qualifications, useful skills and opportunities to build better lives.
When I read that the Trinidad and Tobago Youth Ambassadors was inviting applications for its Level Up 2027 leadership programme, I felt particularly encouraged. Although this is an independent organisation, I believe the renewed confidence created by the Government’s approach to youth development is motivating organisations like this one to continue investing in our young people. When people see a serious effort to move the country forward, they become more willing to contribute.
We certainly needed a change from what happened under the last administration. The Auditor General’s 2024 report revealed that eleven cheques totalling approximately $2.59 million at the former Ministry of Youth Development and National Service were collected by unauthorised persons. Auditors also found no evidence that proper recruitment procedures were followed in appointing Civilian Conservation Corps divisional managers. These troubling findings raised questions about the management and accountability of programmes intended to benefit young people.
Then there was the Military-Led Academic Training programme. Government Senator Daniel Rasheed disclosed in September that approximately $41.6 million had been spent over three years on about 300 participants, with an average pass rate of only 37.6 per cent. I welcomed the present Government’s decision to suspend and review that programme. Our young people deserve better results for the money being invested in their futures.
What gives me hope now is seeing a different approach taking shape. In February, Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Phillip Watts launched the Hospitality and Service Training programme in collaboration with COSTAATT. Participants receive 60 hours of training, practical assessments and, upon successful completion, three college credits. These are qualifications that can help young people enter the workforce with greater confidence.
I am also encouraged by Minister Watts’s work with YTEPP to bring training closer to communities and connect skills development with employment and entrepreneurship. His announcement that young people will help shape a new National Youth Policy is another positive step. To me, it shows an understanding that youth programmes should respond to the actual needs of our country and the young people they are intended to serve.
Coming from Las Cuevas, I especially appreciate efforts to take opportunities beyond the major towns. Properly managed programmes, qualified instructors, transparent spending and training linked to real jobs can make a tremendous difference to families throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
I am thankful to see youth development being approached with greater attention to results, accountability and opportunity. Our young people deserve every chance to succeed, and I believe we are moving in the right direction.
Daniel Thomas
Las Cuevas
