On Tuesday 28th April, 2015, the Junior Achievement Dominica and the National Youth Council of Dominica (NYCD) signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) that will pull them closer than before.
The MOU was signed between the Executive Director of JA Dominica, Natasha Yeeloy- Labaad, Chairman of JA Dominica Orlando A. Richards and the President of the National Youth Council, Senator Jahisiah Benoit.
The two entities will now share the same office space, equipment, furniture, administrative officers, use of training rooms, transportation and so on.
“When we put all of these values together we have an estimated EC$ 148,000 … in coming together this value the JA Dominica and the NYC is able to take advantage of,” said Executive Director of JA Dominica Natasha Yeeloy- Labaad.
She sees this partnership as a positive for the country’s youth.
“So this strategic alliance, this Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) is something that we believe is good for the youth of Dominica,” she stated. “It will facilitate and enable the young persons to achieve and be successful. We felt that bringing together the programs, focus and bringing together the work that we do will make a difference in how young persons are seen, how they can be supported.”
Chairman of JA Dominica Orlando A. Richards said the opportunity is “very good,” and “appropriate.”
“Coming here for instance will help us to be able to reduce our operational cost and for this we are very grateful,” he said.
He said both the NYCD and JA Dominica focuses on basically the same things.
“While Junior Achievement is focusing on children, those of school age, students who are just about to leave school and enter the job market, NYCD also look at youth on a broader scale,” he remarked. “The aim is to see that young people are able to make a contribution, be able to help develop themselves socially, financially and in all aspects.”
The Junior Achievement program has three core focus areas: financial literacy, entrepreneurship education and Skills for the workforce.
President of the NYCD Senator Jahisiah Benoit said this is a very special moment since one of the eight key objectives that was set out in 2013 by this present executive was the establishment of an enterprise to create sustainable partnerships with key collaborating agencies in civil society, public and private sector.
He said the council has already managed to have a strategic partnership with central government.
Is govt. financing the budget of this operation, or perhaps a friendly government? I am asking because our govt. can not even find the money to provide the parliamentary opposition with decent office facilities. Good luck to the young people but I am suspicious this is a politically motivated movement.