The youth and children of Anguilla are our prized possession; gifts from God who represent our future and the realisation of our dreams. However, it seems more and more that our young people are becoming the forgotten generation, with no real and tangible pathway to achieving their goals and realising their God-given potential. A common mistake among legislators and policy makers is the approach to youth development which is premised on the theory that it is the youth themselves that are problems to be fixed. On the contrary, youth are indispensable assets to national development and must be seen as equal partners towards achieving our Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I am greatly concerned that Anguilla’s sustainable future is at risk, when our best and brightest young minds see no real opportunities for their involvement and participation in the decisions that affect them. The spirit of the revolution and its promise of self-determination have been eclipsed among our young people who struggle to find a better quality of life on this little rock that we call home.
A 2016 UNICEF Situational Analysis of Children in Anguilla noted that poverty is the root of most, if not all, problems that affect children and adolescents in Anguilla. Poverty is a serious concern in Anguilla and is something that we must confront at all levels. According to UNICEF, Anguilla’s government has not monitored poverty and its associated risks to vulnerable groups since 2008. In addition to this, the cost of living in Anguilla continues to rise, placing our young people and their underemployed (and in far too many cases unemployed) parents at greater risk. We must not allow our pride to cripple our compassion and the need for targeted interventions to address this growing issue. The 2018 Budget, you will remember, cut scholarships and training from the education expenditure for this year. The reactionary policy of creating a public sector opening for temporary or substitute jobs is no longer possible with increased scrutiny by the British government. The needs of vulnerable groups must be addressed and this requires a holistic approach which must be centered on creating meaningful employment and reducing the tax burden on the people. In addition, the absence of a minimum wage to protect our low-skilled workers creates an environment of exploitation.
The UNICEF report also addresses the inequalities and inconsistencies in education that create barriers towards meaningful employment opportunities for our youth. The report notes that, at the primary level of education, less than 50% of the teachers in Anguilla were considered to be qualified. This is also a major issue in our secondary schools. Moreover, the additional cost for uniforms, text books and transportation places additional burden on poor families, particularly those households headed by single women. The report also notes that children with learning difficulties and special needs/disabilities are also at risk. Violence and bullying in schools is also a growing concern. This, coupled with the inequalities in the system, forces parents who can afford it to send their children to schools in neighbouring St Maarten or to migrating altogether to North America or the United Kingdom.
The conditions that I have just described create a perfect recipe for a brain drain. Many of our talented and creative youth, forced to leave Anguilla in search of meaningful opportunities and a better quality of life, make a conscious decision not to return. This decision is fueled by the belief that this government represents a recycled status quo of politicians who are more concerned with grandstanding and empty promises than meeting the real needs of the people through participative democracy. The youth are seen by this administration simply as votes, not as citizens with the knowledge and skill sets to take our country forward. I firmly believe that our youth hold the keys to a prosperous future for Anguilla; a future in which we can all thrive and be our best selves. Our youth have ideas and the energy to solve the plethora of issues that we face as a nation. In fact, my approach to youth has always been one of listening and learning; it is not my job to prescribe policies and programmes to “fix” our youth. On the contrary, it is my job to create spaces for our young people to come to the decision making table, to be equal partners in the development of our nation and to provide them with the opportunities to thrive and excel.
So where do we start? We must being with Education Reform. Our education system is broken and our young people, particularly our young men, are dropping out of school. We must therefore ensure that our education system meets the needs of our students, and that it is equitable and provides a fair opportunity for all our children. We must also create a platform for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Vocational Education and Training (VET) and opportunities for our youth to increase their employability skills. Secondly we must develop an economy that draws from the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of our young people. This can only be achieved by direct consultation with our nation’s youth. The youth of Anguilla are brilliant and have ideas and solutions to take our nation forward. Therefore, in contrast to this current administration, I choose to listen and to learn from our youth and to partner with them for a better and brighter Anguilla.
