More opportunities for youth under ULP – Caesar

The featured speaker at the Youth Arm Convention of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) is of the view that the young people of today have far more opportunities under the ULP than persons like him, who were brought up under the New Democratic Party (NDP) administration.{{more}}

“I have a one-year-old son and he’s being raised under a ULP government and he will have far more opportunities to succeed in life than his father, who was raised under an NDP government,” Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar told a large gathering at a crammed Thomas Saunders Secondary School on Sunday, May 24.

Caesar, who is also the parliamentary representative for South Central Windward, opined that the ULP is the party of choice for young people heading into the upcoming elections, which must be held at the latest by March 2016.

“There is not a single young person under the age of 35 on the NDP slate of candidates. Not a single one. This is saying that they do not have trust and confidence in the young people. They don’t have a single woman on their slate of candidates. This should mean a lot to the young women who are here with us this afternoon,” a passionate Caesar added.

The elected member of parliament also spoke of the improvements in education and some of the policies implemented by the government for the overall development of the country.

“The reality is this, your daughter and my son are guaranteed a seat in a secondary school. Every single one of them. Your daughter and my son will benefit from the one laptop per student programme. They will sit by side in a state-of-the-art national library and study in comfort. Not in the building that I had to study down in Middle Street down there,” Caesar said, referring to a previous location of the National Public Library.

He added that no longer will children have to attend school on half a day basis, as did he and Carlos James, ULP candidate for North Leeward.

“We must thank God every day for this government and we must not take the efforts of this government lightly.

“Instead, they will be positioned to benefit from the hundreds of scholarships available to our students all over the world.”

According to Caesar, while he was growing up under the NDP, it was unimaginable to have persons in one’s village being fluent in Mandarin.

“Now, it is an ordinary thing. Spanish is now commonplace in our communities and your daughter and my son will grow up in a country where St Vincent and the Grenadines is linked directly to the rest of the world by air transport because of the Argyle international airport.”

He said between 2001 to 2015, almost 4,000 young persons have been employed and trained under the Youth Empowerment Programme, and the Nursing Division, with an intake of over 100 a year, has trained over 1,200 nurses.

“In the last five years, we must be reminded that approximately 400 young persons have gone off to universities, thanks to the student loan programme. Young farmers in the country can now get a loan at two per cent interest and zero security. The vision and foresight of this government,” Caesar said.

He added that over 75 persons under the age of 35 have received loans from the Farmers Support Company.

“Hundreds of young persons continue to benefit from reasonable housing on our housing programmes. When a parent benefits, the children and the youngsters in the home are also benefiting…. Indeed, it is an excellent time to be young.

“The youngest among us here today will have many more years to fulfil their dreams through these opportunities. Opportunities that were not present when our political leader was our age. The role of youth in this campaign is critical,” Caesar said.

Before Caesar took the podium, youth representatives from each of the 15 constituencies delivered brief remarks about the work of the ULP.

The convention was held under the theme: “Empowering our youth.” (KW)