KINGSTON, Jamaica – CARICOM youth leaders at their recent meeting in Kingston, Jamaica have applauded the ICT partnership between the CARICOM Secretariat and telecommunications giant of Suriname, Telesur, as timely, unique and innovative.
The partnership will see Telesur providing technical support and institutional strengthening to the Secretariat for the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme (CYAP) and the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD). It is believed to be the first public/private partnership agreement of its kind to be signed by the Secretariat.
The partnership has already spawned the development of a three-phase high-impact Information and Communication Technology (ICT) project that is expected to engage Caribbean Youth in competitive activities to promote the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME); positive lifestyles and non-violence among youth.
The proposed ‘cell-phone project’ titled, CARIB-CAM, in its first phase will involve a regional competition in which young people use their cell phones to develop one minute video messages designed to promote various elements of the CSME.
The partnership will also see the creation of a youth-friendly, CYAP interactive website, and the production of the Youth Ambassador Orientation Package on DVD.
In presenting the proposal for the cell phone project to Youth Ambassadors, Youth Focal Points and Commissioners at their joint meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, on 06-11 July, Suriname’s Youth Ambassador, Ferranto Dongar noted that the draft agreement represents a significant milestone for both Telesur and the Community. He relayed Telesur’s enthusiasm to roll out the first project under the agreement by November.
Dean of the CYAP, John Darville hailed the project as unique and innovative, noting that the Telesur/CARICOM partnership attests to their commitment to the youth and regional development.
“They (Telesur) have effectively demonstrated their seriousness in corporate social responsibility and have also realized that their own sustainability rests heavily on youth development in the Caribbean,” Ambassador Darville said.
Barbados Youth Ambassador Dwayne Branch, in urging CARICOM youth to support the project, said, “young people are using cell phones and other ICTs in negative ways and this project will provide an opportunity to channel their ingenuity through positive avenues.”
St. Kitts and Nevis Youth Ambassador and Media Advisor Ian Richards said, “the project is creative; innovative, cutting edge and in keeping with the CYAP mandate.
“We continue to find interactive and creative ways of empowering young people and promote important issues of CARICOM and their impact on regional development,” He added.
The cell phone project is scheduled for implementation in early November.
The CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme (CYAP) and the Regional Network of National Youth Focal Points (RNNYFPs) are consultative bodies knowledgeable of youth culture and experienced in youth consultation and outreach. As such they are vital partners in mobilising adolescents and youth, and coordinating the development and implementation of peer to peer education, consultation, action research and information dissemination.
