New Minister of Youth presented with PAYE documents

April 8th, 2008, will be remembered by the Youth Affairs Department and the Minister of National Mobilisation and Youth, Michael Browne, as the date when the official presentation of The Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (PAYE) was made to the Minister by the Director of The Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre, Henry Charles.{{more}}

The PAYE is the guiding document for CYP youth development programme from 2007 -2015. The document contains thirteen action points which were approved at the highest level of the Commonwealth to assist with youth development work.

The document also takes the Millennium Development Goals into consideration. These include the eradication of extreme hunger and poverty, the achievement of universal primary education, the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, the reduction of child mortality, the improvement of maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, environmental sustainability and the development of a global partnership for development.

The Youth Affairs Department was reallocated to the Ministry of National Mobilisation from the Ministry of Tourism on April 1st, 2008. This is the second time that Minister Browne is Minister of Youth, having served in this capacity from 2001-2005.

Also present at the presentation ceremony were Permanent Secretary (ag) Rosita Snagg, Youth Officer Carlos Williams and newly appointed Director of Community Services, Eli Francis.

Minister Browne assured the Director that his Ministry would do all within its power to ensure that the youth continue to receive the highest attention in keeping with the government’s policy which has youth development as a priority.