FOR THE first time since the launch of the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme (CYAP) in 1993, Guyana was given the opportunity to host the programme and the ambassadors representing 12 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.

Each country was represented by a male and a female ambassador, who belong to the cadre of young people tasked with representing their countries effectively, making decisions for all Caribbean youth and inevitably fostering sustainable development in the Caribbean.

The young people who represented 12 CARICOM countries, engaged in a four-day seminar held at the CARICOM Secretariat at Liliendaal, East Coast

Demerara (ECD). While in Guyana, the ambassadors also engaged in a cultural night at the Umana Yana and visited a few places in the country.
While speaking to Guyana Chronicle, a few of the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors (CYAs) related their experience.

* Adrian Alfred:
The male ambassador for Guyana, Adrian Alfred noted he was an outgoing ambassador since he was serving as a youth ambassador since 2015.
According to him, the four-day seminar was aimed at reflecting upon the projects already executed and identifying how to improve projects in future. Additionally, it targeted the improvement of the current ambassadors so that they would be able to equip and guide future ambassadors.

The young man contended that this programme was tailored due to cognisance of the role youth play, or can play in regional agendas such as agenda of regional integration.
“At the end of the day, youth development is key.” Adrian acknowledged and further stated that youth development was an investment in a country’s Human Social Capital.
Importantly, he underscored that the group of youths present there were striving to improve the lives of the 22 million young persons in the Caribbean.

“We’re making small strides in improving the lives of fellow youths,” Adrian asserted and added, “In future, at least in Guyana’s case, the next set of ambassadors will be able to do a much better job.”
He related too that the primary focus of the youth ambassador programme for the years 2017-2019, would be on education and agriculture. One of the slogans highlighted by Adrian is, “It’s never too late to educate”.

* Amanda Scott
As the female youth ambassador from Grenada, Amanda Scott engaged in many community-building exercises in Grenada and noted that it was her belief that positive changes should start from improvements in communities.
Reflecting upon her time in Guyana, Scott related that the seminar was able to

equip ambassadors with the tools to “push” the regional agenda of sustainable development. Not only was she able to engage in capacity building exercises in project management, leadership and public-speaking but she was able to engage with other youths who share similar, positive visions for the Caribbean.

She posited too that seminars and programmes like this provided the opportunity for the development of Caribbean youth. “It’s time that we harness the human potential of the Caribbean,” she stressed.
While speaking about her time in Guyana, Amanda also expressed, “Guyana is a very unique country, since it has the best of both South American and Caribbean culture.”

* Andre Marriott-Blake:
The male Jamaican youth ambassador, Andre Marriott-Blake said that as a Jamaican youth ambassador he was able to engage in projects in the areas of entrepreneurship, disabilities and disaster relief for Haiti. Additionally, he worked with the Bureau of Gender Affairs as an ambassador against gender-based violence against women.

Andre related that perhaps what he benefitted most from the seminar was the capacity building aspect where the youths were edified in areas like project building and risk assessment.

The Jamaican noted that it was an honour to actually be in the halls of the CARICOM Secretariat and engaging with CARICOM’s Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque on certain controversial topics which was another huge benefit of the programme.
While highlighting that the seminar was an excellent initiative, the Jamaican expressed that his only regret was that the opportunity only arose as CARICOM Youth Ambassadors were preparing to demit their positions.

He explained, however, “I can go back to my base and relate the information and continue the discussion, but from an informed perspective,” and stressed, “It can’t end with you,”
The CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme was launched in 1993, by the CARICOM Heads of Government to mark the twentieth anniversary of CARICOM. It was formally instituted one year later in 1994.