Ladies and Gentlemen:

We live in an age when to be young and to be indifferent can be no longer synonymous. We must prepare for the coming hour. The claims of the future are represented by suffering millions; and the youth of a Nation are the trustees of Posterity. (hier een wat zwaardere stem dan de normale stem)

With these words of Benjamin Disraeli, a British politician and author, I welcome the Secretary-General of the CARICOM, H.E. Edwin Carrington, the President of Suriname, H.E. Drs. Runaldo Venetiaan, the regions CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, members of the national youth councils and distinguished guests.

It is an honor for us as youth leaders of Suriname to welcome you into the ‘Beating Heart of the Amazone.” On behalf of the youth of our region, I welcome you to the first CARICOM Regional Youth Forum on Youth Development. I ask you:

1. Do you want our young people to have good/ honest jobs?

2. Do you want our young people to be healthy? And not be infected by STI’s or HIV/AIDS?

3. Do you want our youngsters to live in a safe and crime free neighborhood? I think the answer from all of you is a big ‘Yes.’

If we want to change the situation we are in now, we have the opportunity today and in the coming days to discuss with our leaders and to find a solution together for these challenges.

• 60% of the Caribbean populations are young people.

• More than a quarter of the region’s unemployed persons is between 25 to 34 years of age, including graduates of secondary and tertiary institutions. Youth unemployment is high, gendered and dangerous to social stability.

• In a PAHO study it was concluded that HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among Caribbean youth and that they have identified obesity as an emerging problem.

• Latin America and the Caribbean Region have recorded the highest homicide rate of men between the ages of 15 to 29. It is also estimated that young men in the 15 to 35 age group commit 80 per cent of the crime in the region.

These are a few of the findings of the Report of the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development and these are the challenges that are influencing our countries economic development.

By doing nothing at all the opportunities of young people will drastically decrease. We should remember that what happens tomorrow is decided by the leaders of the present.

That is why I am very excited with this impending Special Summit of CARICOM Heads of Government on Youth Development. This shows that you as leaders of the region are committed to bringing change for the better.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the CCYD for the magnificent work that you have done over the past two years.

And I encourage all my peers, our Ministers and Heads of Government to actively participate during the next three days.

Young people, it is now our task to take action and work closely together with our leaders of the present. Not only talk, but really work on solutions for a better future.

Because the future is in our hands

I thank you.

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org