BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – The days of depriving young people of opportunities are back with the election to office of the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity government 17 months ago.
This outrage has been expressed by the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) caretaker representative for St. Christopher 8, Dr. Terrance Drew who has accused Prime Minister Harris of “robbing the young people of the opportunity to excel.”
He said many young persons have been speaking of the growing financial difficulties faced by their families.
He condemned the government over its recent actions including curtailment of the REACH and other programmes that provided incentives for young people to pursue college or university degrees or pursue maths and science programmes at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC).
“There are students now who are considering going to work on leaving high school. In this day and age when one would prefer to create a workforce of well-trained persons who can compete with their peers around the world, the young people here need the pre-requisite tools and any road blocks that might exist it is incumbent that the country remove them to ensure that our people are prepared for the 21st century workforce,” said Dr. Drew.
The election of this new government has brought to an end the equal opportunity policy of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party of then Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas when young people regardless of their political support, or that of their parents, relatives or friends played a role in going off to study under scholarship programmes offered by several friendly governments including Cuba, Taiwan, Mexico and Italy as well as learning institutions or accessing funds from the Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis.
The Timothy Harris Government for the past 17 months have carefully and systematically selected persons who are supporters of the three parties that form the government to benefit from scholarships at the primary, secondary and tertiary-levels as well as financing from the Development Bank to pursue studies overseas.