The National Youth Parliament, has been charged with the task of helping to strengthen the country’s democracy, demonstrate the importance of tolerance, and with informed opinions on matters of public interest, “make useful recommendations for solutions on pressing issues.”
This is part of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s vision for the 30 young parliamentarians who will participate in the National Youth Parliament carded for March 23rd-24th, 2022.
The youth parliament, an initiative of the National Youth Council of Dominica (NYCD), was structured to encourage active citizenship among the youth and promote involvement in democracy and governance and while addressing the group recently, the Prime Minister Skerrit said the forum will engender an appreciation among young people for the business of legislation, debate and governance.
Along with the acquired knowledge of parliamentary procedure, the prime minister also anticipates that significantly, the youth parliament will provide the opportunity for its participants to develop respect for the views of others.
“It will emphasize the importance of articulating differences of opinion in a cordial and contained manner to avoid confrontation and conflict,” he stated.
Skerrit described the initiative as “most commendable” and said the government fully supported the efforts of the National Youth Council to boost youth participation in meaningful activities on a national scale.
He said the youth parliament is being held at a time when the government is renewing its commitment to the development of youth and the creation of opportunity for all by providing “an enabling environment for the young people of this country to thrive.”
According to the Prime Minister, young people are at the heart of Dominica’s development plans.
“The fact is, more and more of our young people are driving ideas, innovation and creativity in areas such as, digitalization and small business,” he asserted, pointing out that his government has secured $75 million to advance the digital economy and as part of the digital transformation project, the government is developing the enabling environment to drive competition, investment and innovation.
“As leaders we are called to build our young people’s confidence and provide them with the right environment to hone their skills for personal development and for the good of the country,” Skerrit stated. “Youth advocates like you have a key role to play in developing a cadre of young people who can provide effective leadership now and in the future.”
The Prime Minister who is the head of government and leader of the parliamentary majority, urged the young parliamentarians, as they prepare to debate, to exercise a high level of discipline and dedication.
“Which means if parliament starts at 10 you have to be seated for 10 and before the speaker comes into the house,” Skerrit advised. “That’s the first step of discipline; it is punctuality.”
He further advised them to approach the process with seriousness and to make it worthwhile, “in that you learn from the experience and use the knowledge to guide your future choices as young professionals eager to play a prominent role in national development.”
Skerrit offered to host a training session in the second week of March at the Kempinski Hotel in Portsmouth for all of the youth parliamentarians to share with them his own experiences in the parliament and to give them a few tips as they prepare for their big day on March 24th.
The youth parliamentarians will debate matters relating to Marijuana as an Economic Driver, Mandatory Vaccination, Housing Development, Geothermal Energy and the International Airport.
Look it! The Puppet Master with his future blood suckers. These people have NO shame at all. Poor Dominica.
The only youth debate that make sense and I would listen to is if they were debating where our $4.2 billion dollars went to. That’s the only thing that makes sense. We need to know if our money is in the Credit Susie Bank or where on earth Skerrit has it hiding. That should be our national debate and youth debate.
As far a Skerrit’s offer to take them to Kempinski in March for training, I strongly suggest that the subject of the Kempinski leg should be, Should Dominicans be worried that Kempinski might be sanctioned by the US because of it’s Russian connection?
Can someone honestly tell me what’s the difference in character between Roosevelt Skerrit and the Devil? I sure don’t see much of a difference. Honestly speaking when I read John 10:10, which describes the characteristics of Satan, I see Roosevelt Skerrit.
As a young Prime Minister you would expect young men to have Skerrit as their role model right? Unfortunately no one including the strongest DLP supporters want their son to be like Roosevelt Skerrit. In fact even Melissa is on record posting on face book that she didn’t want her sons to be like their father Roosevelt Skerrit, until she was rebuked by pastor Bell. You remember that?
As a Vielle case man myself I can tell you that there is no young man from Ittassi that hold Skerrit as their role model. In fact Vieille case young men turned off from politics because of Skerrit. So youth debate and Skerrit is involved and even addressing? Give me a damn break
In another OECS jurisdiction, the Youth Parliament is completely independent. They (youth parliamentarians) seek guidance, information and any assistance from senior public servants and civil society. Not a single, active politician is involved with this organisation to avoid even the perception of political bias.
Everything Skerrit is involved in rots to the ground. The man is highly acidic.. Look at the tumult which takes place in the Dominican parliament. It’s shockingly shameful and egregious that young people have to endure the dog fights that occur in this hallowed sanctuary. Threats, verbal abuse, gun slinging, it’s like a school you go to learn how to curse dirty. It appears as though the happy-puppy Speaker and the dimwitted ‘leader’ imbibe considerable amounts of ale, at a rum bar, just before taking their positions in parliament.
for example the youth parliamentarians in the respective ministries: The ministry of legal affairs has to be more eager and willing to address the legislation for cannabis reform, the ministry of health and agriculture has to start placing more emphasis on the required strategy to build those sectors. the ministry of tourism needs to see the potential of the cannabis industry and looking at tourism cannabis zones such as Thailand, the ministry of housing, planning and public works has to be more innovative in considering hempcrete material for buildings. the ministry of education has to address marijuana education guidelines for primary, secondary and tertiary schools. the ministry of culture needs to address the sacramental rights of indigenous people such as the Rastafarian culture. the ministry of trade has to address trading to European countries as the example of st. Vincent and the Grenadines, the ministry of foreign affairs has to explore the possibility
If it’s not a Cutlass is a Gun. All I need is a Woman to Love ❤️.
I agree with the topic areas for discussion for the youth parliament.
I hope the entire youth parliament can be well prepared to deliver on the topic of marijuana for economic development. all members of the youth parliament should address the medical cannabis issue and how it can alleviate the plights of many ailments faced by the young and elderly. the six series episode on weed by Dr. Gupta on CNN should be examined by the youth parliamentarians
Some regional perspective will be important as the following areas mentioned in the links below:
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20220109/st-vincent-and-grenadines-granted-permission-export-medical-cannabis
https://www.bmcla.bb/
https://www.borgenmagazine.com/marijuana-farming-in-antigua-and-barbuda/
ej. Jamaican
Other areas that should be explored are: international developments taking place in developed countries such as USA and the safe banking act will be of importance for the Caribbean development bank to start…
If the National Youth Parliament’s task is to strengthen the country’s democracy and make recommendations for the solution of pressing issues, it should be left to do the job under its own steam and without vested influence.
The Prime Minister’s intention to host a training session for youth parliamentarians at the Kempinski Hotel (to share with them his own experiences in parliament and to give them a few tips) could compromise their task.
Roger, you realise that in recent times many of these useless exercises by the congenital LIAR who leads the concoction of kleptomaniacs, thugs and traitors conveniently kept at the Kempinski Resort.
The only reason for this is to make up for the shortfalls in revenue for his enablers as tourism is under water. indigent Tax Payers to the rescue of the Fat Cats. All this is a stimulus in disguise for the filthy Rick while the poor Dominicans get NADA.
Are Dominicans masochistic? Where is the outcry from Dominicans of this one moron spending the people’s money willy nilly on his billionaire buddies.
How on earth can you guys strengthen something, that doesn’t exist. You want to strengthen democracy in DA? It’s non existent, it’s a Fata Morgana. There used to be a democracy but it was taken away from us almost 20 years ago? All you are enablers of that kleptocratic despot that took Democracy away from us.
If all you want to do something for your country, fight for fair elections, oppose corruption and demand accounts for the CBI program!!
They are the new breed of ‘Skerrit enablers’ and are quite contend to sell their country for a few dollars of the CBI treasure. Nothing new, just new names!
“This is part of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s vision for the 30 young parliamentarians who will participate in the National Youth Parliament carded for March 23rd-24th, 2022.”
Are you all really serious in Dominica? Is Dominica still in a democracy? What has Roosevelt Skerrit done for the young people of Dominica? Is there a real future for young people under Skerrit?
Look, here is the reality of our young people under Skerrit according to two news articles on DNO on March 2.
1. “ 16-year-old charged with murder of Chinese national”
# 2. A 24 year old youth advocate according to Hon. Dennis Charles died in a house in Morne Bruce. Although they don’t want to tell us hou he died and what killed him but we know the truth.
Skerrit has wrecked the future of our young people and you just have to go to the various communities to see. Never have I seen so many young people from age 10 on the roadside with bottles of rum and marijuana. Man Dominica is finished and lost!
Stupes tan. That’s like debating if cancer is really deadly. Skerrit has already destroyed the future of youths in Dominica and instead of debating how to get that deadly cancer out all you debating fancy pussy story. Did anyone listen to the nations headline news a day after carnival? In case you missed it the headline is, ” A 16 year old charged for murdering a Chinese national”. I am not advocating or endorsing any kind of murder but the headline exposed the root of our problem today and in years to come because its is Chinese verses our young people and the task of setting our country free for our young people. My foreparents fought to deliver us from slavery and today its the son of a slave selling us into a worse kind of slavery. Imagine this 16 year old was not even born when that wicked man stole Dominica from us and, 16 years later thats the crisis that evil man placed on him while his sons enjoy flipping US citizenship. So what damn youth debate all you talking about?
Can Lucifer correct sin? Roosevelt ‘Lucifer’ Skerrit leading, guiding and mentoring these young people, is the same as a butcher taking his sheep to the proverbial slaughter house to groom them.
How can a man who is morally and ethically challenged, bare-bottom corrupt, loveless, vengeful, intellectually disabled lead an impressionable group of young adults to walk the straight and narrow road? This is hook-line and sinker implausible for this charlatan to accomplish.
This too would meet the same fate as the $5 million per month in the airport saving account.
it is just a copy idea of what has been going on in the region, like st lucia and other islands. the thinking which created an issue is not capable of resolving this issue… yet we expect these same people to accept any thing which will diminish there authority when they have spent many years building and centralizing this authority. since a major issue in Dominica, is the centralization of Government and the ideas of development. it is being reflected throughout, eg the banking sector has been monopolized, yet our society remains quiet about this.