On Tuesday, 19 January 2016, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, in collaboration with its Financial Information Month (FIM) partners, hosted a Youth LEAD (Learn Empower Achieve Development) Conference which assisted in the strengthening of youth entrepreneurship and leadership initiatives in the region. The conference provided young people with an opportunity to share their experiences and network with peers with the thrust towards closer OECS integration as a key component of regional development.
The Honourable Shawn Richards, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, St Kitts and Nevis delivered a few remarks as well as Senator Winston Garraway, Minister of State within the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs, Grenada. Ms Genieve Hanley, CEO, LEAP and ACE Consulting, St Kitts and Nevis spearheaded a game entitled ‘The Game of Possibilities’ which involved all of the countries solving real world problems in the OECS. Each team was challenged to use a napkin to demonstrate one real world problem related to the OECS and propose a solution that can solve the problem identified. The teams selected from four topics which were chosen by the organizers; they were unemployment, poor customer service, youth on youth crime and erosion of national identity. The challenge was won by Anguilla who presented solutions on youth on youth crimes; Nevis and Montserrat also placed.
Other speakers were Mr Nigel Matlin, Creative Director, aqua.gd, Grenada; Ms Kimya Glasgow, CEO, Kimya Glasgow Designs Inc, St Vincent and the Grenadines; Mr James Galloway, Educator and Poet, St Kitts and Nevis; Mr Warren Cassell Jr, Executive Chairman of the Abella Group, LLC, Montserrat; T Valerie Onu, Managing Director, Quintessence Consulting,St Kitts and Nevis and Mr Elias Dupris, Entrepreneur, 365mmp, Commonwealth of Dominica.
The videoconference was held at the ECCB local office in Anguilla and the other member territories of the ECCB.
