MR. PRESIDENT, COLLEAGUE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS, AMBASSADORS, HEADS OF DELEGATIONS, SECRETARY GENERAL,
ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL, DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES.
ON BEHALF OF MY DELEGATION, I WISH TO EXPRESS OUR
GRATITUDE TO THE PRESIDENT AND PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA AND TO THE CITY
FATHERS OF MEDELLIN, FOR THE EXCELLENT ACCOMODATIONS AND GENEROUS
HOSPITALTY, WHICH THEY HAVE SO GRACIOUSLY PROVIDED TO ME,
PERSONALLY, AND TO MY DELEGATION. THE ARRANGMENTS FOR THE CONFERENCE
HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING, AND WE CONGRATULATE THE GOVERNMENT OF
COLOMBIA AND THE OAS.
IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET THAT I, ON BEHALF OF THE
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS, OFFER MY
CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF COLOMBIA WHO SUFFERED LOSSES AS A
RESULT OF THE TRAGIC LANDSLIDE WHICH OCCURRED RECENTLY. PLEASE BE
ASSURED OF OUR SOLIDARITY DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
MR. PRESIDENT, WE MEET AT A TIME WHEN OUR REGION
FACES MYRIAD GLOBAL CHALLENGES; INCLUDING GLOBAL WARMING, CLIMATE
CHANGE, HIV/ AIDS, CRIME AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, FOOD SECURITY,
POVERTY, AND NATURAL DISASTERS.
THIS 38TH REGULAR SESSION OF OUR ASSEMBLY, IN ITS
"DECLARATION OF MEDELLIN", WHICH WE WILL FORMALLY RATIFY TODAY,
RIGHTLY FOCUSES US ON THE IMPORTANT THEME OF YOUTH AND DEMOCRATIC
VALUES. THIS IS A RECOGNITON THAT MEMBER STATES PLACE HIGH VALUE ON
ADDRESSING THE MULTIFACETED CHALLENGES CONFRONTING REGIONAL
GOVERNMENTS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY.
MR. PRESIDENT, RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
YOUNG PEOPLE OF OUR NATION, THE BAHAMAS, YEARS AGO, IMPLEMENTED THE
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE FOCUS ON ISSUES AFFECTING BAHAMIAN
YOUTH BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH. THIS DEPARTMENT
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES, INTIATIVES, AND
PROGRAMMES TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRY ARE PROVIDED
EASY ACCESS TO SKILLS TRAINING, YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, ENTREPRENEURIAL
DEVELOPMENT, CONFILCT RESOLUTION, AND BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION.
A NUMBER OF BASELINE REPORTS HAVE BEEN
UNDERTAKEN, WHICH FORM THE BASIS OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND ASESSMENT
OF THE ISSUES CONFRONTING THE YOUTH OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE
BAHAMAS. THE BAHAMAS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE FOR NATIONAL YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT REPORT AND THE REPORT "THE SITUATION OF YOUTH IN THE
BAHAMAS", THE LATTER COMPILED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE
INTERAMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK; HAVE PRODUCED A NUMBER OF
RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH INFORMS AND GUIDES POLICY INITATIVES.
PROGRAMMES IMPLEMENTED INCLUDE:
THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAMME, WHICH SEEKS
TO EMPOWER BAHAMIAN YOUTH FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WITH
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SKILLS.
THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS PROGRAMME WHICH
SUPPORTS THE MANDATE FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE RESTORATIVE
PROGRAMME, WHICH TARGETS "AT RISK" YOUNG MEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF
14 – 26.
MR. PRESIDENT RECENTLY, MY GOVERNMENT LAUNCHED
THE SELF STARTER PROGRAMME WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE AND
DEVELOP AN ENTREPRENEURAL SPIRIT, THUS FOSTERING THE ESTABLISHMENT
AND EXPANSION OF SMALL BUSINESSES. THIS PROGRAMME IS FULLY SUPPORTED
THROUGH GOVERNMENT BUDGETARY ALLOCATIONS, TOTALING 1 MILLION US
DOLLARS. THIS PROGRAMME TARGETS BAHAMIAN YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF
18 – 30.
MR. PRESIDENT, INVESTING IN YOUTH IS A
FUNDAMENTAL TOOL OF EMPOWERMENT, AN AVENUE FOR NATIONAL
SOCIOECOMOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS FULLY
ENDORSES. THE EXPANSION OF THIS NATIONAL INITIATIVE COMES THROUGH
OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERCIAN STATE’S YOUNG
AMERICAS BUSINESS TRUST. THIS INVOLEVMENT WILL ADD TO YOUNG
BAHAMIANS GAINING EXPERIENCE ON THE INTERNATIONAL PLATEAU OF
BUSINESS, INCREASING POSITIVE SELF MOTIVATION AND THE ONGOING
DEVELOPMENT OF MARKETING SKILLS.
I WISH TO PAY TRIBUTE TO AND RECOGNIZE THE YOUNG
AMERICAS BUSINESS TRUST FOR THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO
DO IN PROMOTING BUSINESS AND YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE AMERICAS.
THE CONFERENCE ON YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSIP HELD A FEW DAYS AGO HERE IN
MEDELLIN, I AM ADVISED WAS QUITE A SUCCESS. WE WILL OF COURSE BE
CLOSELY STUDYING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SEE HOW THEY MAY REINFORCE
OUR NATIONAL EFFORTS AND FUTURE HEMISPHERIC COLLABORATIONS.
MR. PRESIDENT, MY GOVERNMENT IN ITS LATEST BUDGET
EXERCISE LAST WEEK, COMMITTED ITSELF TO PROVIDE "OPPORTUNITIES FOR
OUR FOCUSED YOUTH, AND TO REDOUBLE EFFORTS TO ENGAGE THE
MARGINALIZED, AND TO REDIRECT THE ENERGIES AND IMAGINATION OF ALL
YOUNG BAHAMIANS, TO POSITIVE GOALS."
IN A REGIONAL CONTEXT, THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY ESTABLISHED A FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS THE
CHALLENGES OF YOUTH POLICY, EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, ACROSS THE
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY. THROUGH THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS FORUM THEY HAVE
PRODUCED CONSTRUCTIVE IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION BY
HEADS OF GOVERNMENT. THE CARICOM COMMISSION ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
(CCYD) CONTINUES TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORTING THE DREAMS
AND ASPIRATIONS OF CARIBBEAN YOUTH.
MR. PRESIDENT, THE DECLARATION OF MEDELLIN IS
TIMELY AND CRITICAL, AS IT COINCIDES WITH MANY YOUTH DEVELOPMENTAL
INITIATIVES CURRENTLY ONGOING IN THE BAHAMAS, AND ACROSS THE
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY.
I believe THAT THIS DRAFT declaration SHould
serve as A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR HEMISPHERIC YOUTH Policy
dEVELOPMENT, AND i COMMEND THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE TO COORDINATING
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES WHICH LEAD TO UNISON IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF POLICY, INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMES, ALL SUPPORTING ONE COMMON
GOAL.
I NOTE THAT THE DOCUMENT ADDRESSES key ISSUES
INCLUDING:
Economic Empowerment issues;
Youth and Employment;
Social Inclusion of young people and its
related issues;
The involvement of young people in civic and
other holistically developing organizations;
Youth and Governance, their involvement in
policy development/ formulation, implementation;
Youth and HIV/ AIDS, access to social
services which assist in the development of a young person’s
quality of life, etc. ;
Youth, Crime and Violence, and THE LEGAL
SYSTEM’S response;
Healthy lifestyles;
Youth and Politics;
CULTURE AND ITS DIVERSIFICATION;
ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY;
Citizenship AND IMmigration; and,
MOST IMPORTANTLY, The consistency of member
states in terms of their outlook and response to these issues.
Indeed, youth and democratic values should be
addressed with great vigor and EXCITEMENT; through measures of
practical means as it secures the fuTUre of us all. The future of
traditions and their evolution, the sustenance of our cultures and
the respect for each other and indeed the understanding and passion
in our youth for the continuance of the great works of our fore-
fathers .
DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES, ADDRESSING THESE
CHALLENGES REQUIRES THAT WE APPROACH THEM COLLECTIVELY AND
HOLISTICALLY. IT MUST BE TO OUR CONDEMNATION THAT IN A REGION OF
PLENTY TOO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS GO TO BED EVERY NIGHT WITHOUT FOOD.
IF OUR GENERATION IS ABLE TO LEAVE OUR FOOTPRINTS ON THE SURFACE OF
MARS, AS WE DID A FEW DAYS AGO, THEN SURELY WE MUST BE CAPABLE OF
SUBSTANTIALLY MEETING OUR MILLINIUM CHALLENGE BY 2010; OF REDUCING
BY HALF, THE PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM HUNGER.
IN A WORLD WHICH DEMANDS AND REWARDS LITERACY,
AND PUNISHES ILLITERACY, THE CHALLENGE OF OUR GENERATION MUST BE TO
IMPROVE THE LITERACY RATE OF OUR CITIZENS WORLD WIDE, AND CREATE A
JUST SOCIETY WITH ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZENS TO FIND
MEANINGFUL AND PRODUCTIVE WORK FOR ALL, INCLUDING WOMEN AND YOUNG
PEOPLE.
MR. PRESIDENT, TOO MANY OF OUR YOUNG CHILDREN ARE
ORPHANED BECAUSE OF THE SCOURGE OF HIV/AIDS DUE TO UNHEALTHY
LIFESTYLE CHOICES. WE MUST RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO ACHIEVING, BY 2010,
UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND THE ERADICATION OF THIS SCOURGE.
FINALLY, MR. PRESIDENT, THE CELEBRATION OF THIS
60TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR CHARTER PROVIDES US WITH A REAL
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE PROMISE OF OUR CHARTER, A REALITY. WE OWE IT
TO OURSELVES AND TO FUTURE GENERATIONS TO FOSTER A DEMOCRATIC
CULTURE AMONG OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROMOTION AND
STRENGTHENING OF DEMOCRATIC VALUES, PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES,
GROUNDED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE, RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, CONSISTENT
WITH BOTH THE OAS AND THE INTERAMERICAN DEMOCRATIC CHARTERS.
