It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to the Republic of Suriname at this Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) with special focus on youth and development.

Yesterday, young people of CARICOM Member States came together in this very same venue to discuss that draft Report of the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) which will be submitted to us today.

As a minister, I urge my colleague ministers to take a moment of reflection together with me.

We, the ministers responsible for youth in the Caribbean must, more than ever be aware of the task we have with regard to youth development.

Respected colleagues, not only do we have the political power to carry out a comprehensive youth policy, we also have the moral obligation to convey expressed wishes, needs and concerns of our youth to our Heads of Government, even when we think that these wishes, needs and concerns are inconvenient to us.

I am convinced that at every level suitable measures and actions should be taken to have appropriate conditions in place in order to help our young people to develop their potential.

I take this opportunity to say that young people do know that they also have their part to play. Young people must talk with each other more, working together at every level – national, regional and international - to help those who cannot help themselves, and give support even when not asked. They can and need to do this on their own level, in their own environment without or with few resources.

They need to keep each other away from drugs and alcohol, disseminate information and about responsible sexual behaviour, encourage each other to persevere in study initiatives. These are things that young people can do by themselves and without a declaration.

We must of course, as policymakers must not forget that our task is to create the environment for this to happen. The hackneyed phrase that “youth of today is the future of tomorrow,’’ should be discarded. The future of young people is NOW. Tomorrow they are not young people anymore. TODAY, we must listen to them and TODAY we must help them so they can develop their potential and become responsible citizens who can make a contribution to the country and the Region.

Ladies and Gentlemen: I wish you a pleasant stay in Suriname. Enjoy the beauty and the diversity of culture of my country.

Thank you

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org