by Linda Straker
- Carlene Perryman and Joshua Andall were Grenada’s participants
- COM attended by Ministers of Government for Youth and Sports and Permanent Secretaries from OECS Member States
- MOU signed between OECS and the Centre for Sports Resources, Expertise and Performance
Carlene Perryman, Coordinator of Youth and Joshua Andall, Caricom Youth Ambassador were Grenada’s participants in the inaugural OECS Council of Ministers — Youth and Sports meeting which was recently held in St Lucia.
Jonathan La Crette, minister with responsibility for these portfolios did not attend.
Hosted by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, St Lucia under the theme “Beyond the Field: Ensuring Sustainable Impact and Legacy of OECS Youth,” the Council of Ministers (COM) was a forum for reviewing needs and initiatives with the inclusion of the youth who were invited to share their views.
“The COM resulted in significant decisions and critical actions for implementation which will positively benefit the youth of the OECS,” said a news release from the OECS secretariat. Honourable Kenson Casimir, Minister for Youth Development and Sports, St Lucia assumed the Inaugural Chair of the Council of Ministers — Youth and Sports.
The COM was attended by Ministers of Government for Youth and Sports and Permanent Secretaries from OECS Member States. Developmental Partners in endeavours related to Youth and Sports, Heads of Sporting Associations and executive members of the OECS Youth Advisory Network were also in attendance.
The release said that this active participation of youth at the OECS Council of Ministers was initiated in 2023 at the OECS Council of Ministers — Education, held in Antigua and Barbuda. Its continuation underscores the Commission’s commitment to the OECS Youth Empowerment Strategy, empowering the youth of the Eastern Caribbean and ensuring they are given the opportunity to engage in a national dialogue to shape the future they will inherit.
Among the initiatives at the meeting was reviewing educational opportunities for the youth of the region, reflecting on the development of and support for, male and female athletes and exploring the promotion of sports to combat deviant behaviours among the youth.
Notably, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the OECS and the Centre for Sports Resources, Expertise and Performance (CREPS), located in Guadeloupe.
“The signing marks a pivotal moment for sports as the MoU will allow OECS athletes to access CREPS’s world-class facilities.” The release explained the participants at the meeting:
- Agreed to adopt U-Report as a data collection tool to solicit the views of young persons on priority areas at the regional and national levels
- Agreed to adopt the Draft Youth Empowered Strategy as a source for informing youth, sports policies, and programmes/interventions at the national level
- Agreed to support the implementation of the OECS Skills and Innovation Project advocating for greater collaboration among key Ministers, which includes Youth, Education, Sports and Social Development and the private sector
- Agreed to establish a high-level OECS Sports Council with sports experts to determine policy and govern at an OECS level
- Agreed to explore the best practices of the Semi-Professional Football League (SPFL) as a model for the OECS to create viable associations and leagues
- Agreed to explore Winners TV as a possible regional sports broadcasting platform
- Proposed that the OECS Commission undertakes a comparative assessment of the model for the Youth Justice System in the French Territories with that of the English-speaking Member States to identify similar practices and identify good practices and areas of learning
They also recommended the revival of the OECS Sports Championships to include all sporting disciplines, including traditional and alternative sports.
