Students to debate LGBT rights

Lara Quentrall- Thomas, former director of the Rotary Club of Central Port-of-Spain that has hosted the MUN for the last 20 years, yesterday said the MUN has always given space to young people to debate topics based on UN resolutions.

“This year we are going to be looking at LGBT rights and the whole issue of inclusion,” said Quentrall- Thomas. “I think that conversation is long overdue. So with the support of our partners, we are going to bring to you young people the conversation from a local point of view of LGBT rights, the rights of people to be different.” Stephen Weeks, manager of the Public Affairs Unit of the US Embassy, said he was glad to hear of the debate topic, as the United States had made LGBT rights an international issue of prime importance.

Weeks and the National Coordinator of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project, Omar Mohamed, both spoke of the importance of young people learning how to have conversations with persons who held beliefs different than their own.

Delegates to participate in next year’s MUN will begin training under the tutelage of former delegates in January 2017, but they were encouraged to start researching the topic from now, as they will have to not only debate the topic at hand, but to accurately represent the policy positions of the countries to which they would be assigned.

This, it is hoped, would help for a lively debate and a more thorough understandvery informative and there was a need for more courses.

“The workshop has been a stepping stone of information brought forth. It could be used for several purposes in successful lives,” said Roger Sandy.

Another attendee said it helped him to be a happy person and he would go out, change his ways and get a job.

And another attendee said “somebody cares for us” and encouraged the fellow attendees to use the workshop to uplift their lives.

One attendee said there is a lot of anger, violence and low self esteem in the society and a lot of people in challenging circumstances.

He expressed hope that the course would be a chance to change things “from the bottom”.

“Could be a start for generating a new society where minds and attitude of people change,” he said.

He said anyone could end up homeless and praised Watson and CSDP programme coordinator Nzinga Rampersad for their work. Rampersad explained that the course graduates will become a support group to help other residents going through the same thing.

“The certificates are not the end. Is just the beginning. It is to make you press on and achieve higher,” she said. Watson personally thanked Anthony Arrindell from Trinidad Import and Export Ltd, Gillette Hardware, Chee Mooke Bakery, Massy Store, PECU Credit Union and the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services for their contributions to the course and for making it possible.

ing of international relations.

Schools present at the launch included Gasparillo Composite, St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph and Queen’s Royal College.

The launch was the first public event to be held at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago’s newest Chaguanas campus.