The Anguilla National Youth Council (ANYC) and the National Youth Ambassador Corps (ANYC), in collaboration with the Department of Youth and Culture (DYC), hosted the third youth forum under the branded Open Mic format. This exciting event was themed ‘Economic Diversification’ and was held on Thursday September 27th, 2012 at 6:00 pm at the Soroptimist Centre.
An appreciative audience comprising primarily of youth was engaged by six informed panellists. The panellists were Mr David Carty and Mr. Sutcliffe Hodge (Manufacturing), Mr Davon Carty and Mr Crispin Brooks (Creative Arts and Entertainment), Mr Sam Webster and Mr Frankie Lake(Fishing). The moderator for the evening was Jervis Richardson, Caricom Youth Ambassador.
The panellists all agreed that there are potential opportunities for Anguilla to diversify its product through Agriculture and Fishing, Creative Arts and Entertainment, Manufacturing and within Tourism. An exciting two and a half hour discussion focused on, but was not limited to, 1:)Anguilla’s dependence on tourism and possible buffers 2) Government policies which can facilitate the development of each sector identified 3) experience of panellists as entrepreneurs 4) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and those seeking to carve their own niche.
The youth present strongly believed that any endeavour to diversify must be one that is sustainable, that is, it must also appeal to the younger generations.
The DYC, ANYC and NYAC believe that it is important that Anguilla’s youth are provided with opportunities to be educated on national development issues and to participate in the decision making process.
The Department of Youth and Culture is inviting young people between the ages of 18-29 to register for the sixth National Conference on Youth and Development which will be held October 15th at the Teachers’ Resource Centre and October 17th at the Atlin Noraldo Harrigan Parliamentary Building.
Please contact Hyacinth Augustine at the Department of Youth and Culture at 498-3792 or hyacinth.augustine@gov.ai for further information.
– Contributed
