Youngsters pleased with Police Youth Club camping experience

by JADA CHAMBERS

IF EVERY CHILD in St Vincent and the Grenadines joined the Police Youth Club, this country would “be on the right path for the future”.

This is the view held by some young people who attended the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force(RSVGPF) Police Youth Club summer camp which was held from July 21, 2024 to August 5, 2024 at the Central Leeward Secondary School. The camp saw a total of 190 campers and coordinators, 31 of whom are from the Police Youth Club in St Lucia.

Corporal Germano Douglas, who has been a police officer for 24 years, and the Police Youth Club Sports Coordinator for 14 years, told SEARCHLIGHT that the PoliceYouth Club began in Calliaqua and Barrouallie, then started spreading across the country in 2010. In 2011, the club hosted its first summer camp so that members of every club from across the country can meet and socialise. Last weekend, on Saturday August 3, 2024 as the youngsters prepared to break camp, SEARCHLIGHT spoke with one camper of the Colonaire PoliceYouth Club about her experiences. She said that prior to attending the camp, she thought that human trafficking was “when you just put somebody in a boat and send them somewhere”. However, through the lectures at the camp she realised that human trafficking is much more than that. The 14 year old said she has already encouraged her friends to join the PoliceYouth Club.

“It’s a fun environment.

Its sets you to get ready for the future, and it’s a good environment to be around,”Jaheila Hoyte said. She feels that if every child in St Vincent and the Grenadines joined the PoliceYouth Club, this country would be “very good, less violence. The country would be nice, a lower crime rate and we’ll be on the right path for the future”. Another camper of the Mesopotamia Police Youth Club shared similar sentiments with regards to the positive impact that the PoliceYouth Club can have on the country. “It would lead to a good fun-filled and disciplined country because in this country there are a lot of killing…” Tyrell Jackson told SEARCHLIGHT. He believes experience at the camp will help him in the future as he has learnt a lot. “My favourite experience is playing cricket and other sporting activities…the people here are good.

The coordinators are very fun and you’ll have a great experience here.”

Corporal Douglas said this is the first year that SVG PoliceYouth Clubs have entertained regional guests at camp.

“Over the years, we have been camping in St Vincent only.The St Lucians reached out and they wanted to start their club, so we lent them some ideas…so that they can know how to start up their group. Last year, when they started, we decided that because we are camping in St Vincent only, let’s try take it outside of St Vincent, regionally, so we decided to camp with them in St. Lucia,” Corporal Douglas explained. He added that the camp was successful, so the St Lucians decided to return the favour and camp in SVG this year. Corporal Douglas continued that since the inception of the PoliceYouth Club, he has seen positive changes amongst the youth. “To the best of my knowledge, I have never heard of any member of the PoliceYouth Club being arrested for any major offences.”

Sixteen year old Bree Humphrey of the St Lucia Rising Star PoliceYouth Club told SEARCHLIGHT that she attended the camp mostly to experience a new country, but also to meet and socialise with other people her age.

“It’s been fun. It’s been interactive. You get to do hands-on. You get opportunities to do different things like…choreograph a dance or recite a poem.”

She added that experiences like these have taught her how to be independent, take charge in her chores, and build her confidence.

Corporal Douglas hopes that parents will send their children to the RSVGPF PoliceYouth Club in order to mould more productive citizens in the nation.