By Bahamas Information Services
CAPTION: YOUTH MINISTERS MEETING — Organisers of the Sixth Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (CYMM) shed light on the May 24 to 26 conference to be held at the Radisson Cable Beach and Golf Resort. Pictured front row: Henry Charles, regional director, Commonwealth Youth Programme, Caribbean Centre; Lorna McLauren, conference coordinator, Commonwealth Secretariat, London Office; Ignatius Takawira, director of youth affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat, London Office; Leila Greene, permanent secretary, MOY; Autherine Turnquest, director of youth; Carl Brennen, under secretary, MOY. In back row, from left: Lindsay Thompson, BIS; Gregory Butler, deputy director of youth; Patty Miller, MOY; Tellis Bethel, Royal Bahamas Defence Force; Enamae Cox, MOY; Robert Pinder, Culture Department; Clinton Clarke, outgoing youth ambassador; Keith Kemp, president, YPL; Janet Russell, MOY; Derek Johnson, BTC; Louise Simmons, MOY; Ingrid Sears, MOY; Evamae Ferguson, Ministry of Tourism. (BIS photo by TIM AYLEN)
NASSAU – The Bahamas will be host to more than 250 delegates from 53 countries expected to attend the Sixth Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (CYMM) May 24 – 26 at the Radisson Cable Beach and Golf Resort.
The Youth Ministers meeting will be preceded by the Pan-Commonwealth Youth Caucus and Regional Advisory Boards meetings May 22-23. The last CYMM was held in Gaborone, Botswana, Africa, in 2003.
Representatives from the Commonwealth Secretariat in London and the Regional Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre (Guyana), on their second planning visit to The Bahamas February 26-March 1, were updated on arrangements for the meeting put in place by the host country.
At a press conference held Wednesday, March 1, at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Housing, chairman of the task force responsible for organising the meeting, Carl Brennen, underscored the importance of the conference being held in The Bahamas.
"This meeting has significant importance for the formulation of policy that would govern the development of youth in the Caribbean and also in the Commonwealth countries and, indeed, the world," Mr. Brennen said.
He noted that the visit by the Commonwealth Secretariat and regional representative is to ensure that all the administrative arrangements that the host country is responsible for can be "practically" implemented to ensure a successful meeting.
Director of Youth Autherine Turnquest said the significance of the meeting is that it will also be attended by youth delegates from each Common-wealth country. She added that both meetings are being held in May, which is designated as National Youth Month.
The CYMM is being held under the theme, "Em-powering Youth for the Eradication of Poverty, HIV/AIDS and Crime."
"What is also very exciting is that the meeting will allow The Bahamas the opportunity to continue in its role in the discussions on youth empowerment and development in the region and in the Commonwealth," Ms Turnquest said. "It will provide the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Housing the opportunity to engage in a number of bilateral exchanges on matters of mutual interests. It will also refocus the attention of the Bahamian public on the importance of youth, especially in light of the implementation of the National Youth Programme."
The youth delegates will discuss the progress and achievement of the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) in four strategic areas – Youth Enterprise Development, Youth Networks and Governance, Youth Participation and Youth Work Education and Training – as mandated by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
A new CYP strategic plan for the period 2006-2008 will be presented to Ministers for their consideration and approval. The meeting will discuss the framework for reviewing CYP's Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment up to 2015.
"What this meeting would also do is express the Government's serious commitment to young people and youth development and further enhance The Bahamas' reputation as the principal site for international conferences and boost the economy in general," Ms. Turnquest said.
Ignatius Takawira, Director and Head of Youth Affairs Commonwealth Youth Programme, said he was pleased with The Bahamas' preparations for the meeting.
Lorna McLaren, Head of Conferences, Common-wealth Secretariat; and Henry Charles, Regional Director, Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre; accompanied Mr. Takawira.
Mr. Takawira said the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting has a special focus in the Commonwealth Secretar-iat, in that it is a programme set up by Governments to look at the very important constituents of the Commonwealth, for the present and the future.
He added that for most of the developing Member States, the majority of the population is very young people and "unless positive development is undertaken in young people as the future of their country, most developing countries in the Commonwealth are going to have a very bleak future."
According to Mr. Takawira, issues such as poverty, HIV/AIDS and crime are challenges facing a number of developing Commonwealth countries.
"If we are talking about development, if we are talking about the future, we have to make sure the young people are in the centre," he said.
He added that during the CYMM, young people would also be invited to discuss issues peculiar to them, and the solutions to those problems.
"We hope to have a very successful ministers' meeting that would result in programmes that would go some way to address issues affecting young people in The Bahamas, in the region, in the Commonwealth as a whole, and a contribution to the world effort against poverty, HIV/AIDS and crime," Mr. Takawira said.
