Good morning!
It’s great to be here with you today.
Just last week, I had the privilege of speaking with young people from across the Caribbean at the CARICOM Regional Youth Conference, and I was delighted by the talent, ambition, and enthusiasm I witnessed.
I spoke about the importance of youth-led climate action and about how we, as the older generation, must empower and uplift our youth so they can move the needle on the issues that matter most.
As I consider the theme of today’s meeting — “Working for Young People” —I cannot help but reflect on the progress achieved for young Bahamians over the past three and a half years, as well as how much more we must achieve to truly empower young Bahamians to fulfill their enormous potential.
My administration took office with a vision for our nation – the entire nation.
But we have a special focus on young people, because, as you have no doubt heard countless times throughout your lives, “the youth are the future.”
If our future success as a nation is dependent on young people, like yourselves, then it only makes sense to ensure that we spend an enormous amount of effort and resources empowering, investing, and supporting you.
My administration’s vision for this country prioritises youth.
It is a vision I believe in wholeheartedly, because I know what it’s like to be young and overlooked.
As a boy growing up in Cat Island, and later New Providence, there were times that I felt ignored, disregarded, even discriminated against.
There were times I felt I wasn’t enough – that I didn’t look the part, or play the part within a society that was still coping with the struggles, tensions, and biases of that time.
I was not alone in this feeling — young people, for the most part, were expected to listen back then, not have their voices heard.
“Speak when you’re spoken, and answer when you’re called.”
But this is changing in our culture and across the world.
We recognise that the voices of our young people are critical to the way forward.
After all, it is all of you who will inherit The Bahamas when all of the “old heads” in the room are long gone.
We must be part of the change in working for young people and empowering young people to do their best work.
As a government, one of the cornerstone youth-and-child-focused policies has been the National School Breakfast Programme.
We believe that students can’t learn properly if they’re hungry, and that’s why we’ve ensured that all children in each participating school have access to a healthy, hearty, and free breakfast.
Through our National School Breakfast Programme, over half a million meals have been served at ninety schools throughout our archipelago. Already, this programme has significantly decreased absenteeism at participating schools. At the same time, it has eased the financial burdens of Bahamian families, and is contributing to a healthier, smarter, and stronger Bahamas.
Through it all, know that the government, though not always perfect, is here to support you. And, as we work on your behalf, we are also welcoming you into the fold.
Through initiatives like the National Youth Guard, we are equipping young people with the skills, discipline, and civic sensibility they need to succeed as professionals.
From disaster preparedness training to personal development, the National Youth Guard has seen over 160 cadets from three cohorts graduate, with more than 85% of those graduating finding meaningful employment. Quite impressive!
These young leaders will go on to support our nation in times of crisis as a capable cadre of national first-responders.
The role they play in preserving and protecting The Bahamas is no small one — especially as nations like ours endure the worsening impacts of a climate crisis we did not cause.
If this interests you, I encourage you to apply online at nyg.bahamas.gov.bs. Join the next cohort!
Looking ahead, we are building bridges to new opportunities through a number of initiatives.
We are expanding the role of the National Training Agency to provide more opportunities for learning, and, in the near future, we are launching the National Apprenticeship Programme to help young people begin new careers as apprentices in high-demand areas like the maritime sector, hospitality, construction, IT, and, eventually, emerging areas related to digitalisation, climate resilience, and energy reform.
At the same time, UB and BTVI are developing new courses in areas like renewable energy and machine learning, because it is of the utmost importance that we prepare our youth for both current and future opportunities.
How many of you have heard of the upcoming government initiative called Upskill?
It’s a new platform that will allow people to take courses in vital, future-oriented skills – like data analysis, IT administration, graphic design, and other in-demand digital skills – so they can be more qualified for emerging opportunities in the job market.
This is another bridge we are building to opportunities that you, as young people, can take advantage of.
However, as we do our part, we acknowledge that the government is not the only actor that plays a part in shaping skilled, empowered, and well-rounded young people.
It takes a village to raise a child into a young adult and to support a young adult in becoming a thriving, positively contributing member of our society.
Many of you are already making your own positive contributions.
But our goal is to ensure that even more young people feel ready to succeed in our nation.
So, we must all come together, as government, private sector, and civil society to bring about positive change for our young people.
Civil society organisations, in particular, play an integral role in youth development, whether by encouraging young people to cultivate extracurricular interests, advance meaningful causes, or strengthen their character.
I salute the King’s International Trust, as well as The Bahamas Governor General’s Youth Award, for their admirable efforts in the domain of youth development.
Thank you for partnering with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to organise this timely conference — I can only imagine what’s to come!
And to all the young Bahamians in the room, know that we are here to support you.
Share your ideas! And we’ll listen.
Build a platform! And we’ll amplify it.
Unleash your talents! And we’ll change this nation for the better, together.
Keep up the fantastic work. I cannot wait to witness what you achieve.
I wish you an inspiring and productive conference. God bless you all!
Thank you.