Time for youths to love TT again

THE young people of Trinidad and Tobago must learn to love their country once again. This was the declaration made by Legal Affairs Minister Camille Robinson-Regis when she spoke at a People’s National Movement (PNM) public meeting in La Horquetta on Tuesday night. “Statistics have been showing that in many instances, crime or unwarranted anti-social behaviour occurs among our young people. We do not want a country where our young people lose respect for institutions, their elders and where they no longer love TT. The consequence of that is three new programmes that are going to be focussing on our youth,” she said. The Minister explained that the programmes will focus on youths without full GCE or CXC certificates, training them in particular skills as well as youths will full certificates who are willing to volunteer service in the Defence Force. Robinson-Regis noted that while the level of serious crimes had been decreasing as compared to the same period in 2002, “Murder and kidnappings are still higher than last year and a lot of the murders are occurring among our young people. Our young people are important to us. We have to ensure that our nation preserves our young people,” she said. The Minister declared that while the former UNC government shut down all the youth-training programmes, the PNM takes care of the nation’s young people in a “steadfast” manner.

Junior Culture Minister Eddie Hart also urged youths to take advantage of the “window of opportunity” being offered by Government. Hart scoffed at Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday’s mission “to rescue TT.” Hart wondered how Panday could do that after failing to rescue his “favourite minister” Dhanraj Singh from prison and then turning his back on him. He said the July 14 Local Government Election was “a battle of paramount importance” and warned PNM supporters against complacency. Hart added that a PNM victory at the polls will ensure greater harmonisation of central and local government resources for the overall benefit of the population. He shared Arima Mayor Elvin Edwards’ view about the dubious selection of UNC candidates, claiming that certain candidates bribed the party with huge sums of money in order to earn selection.