PARTICIPANTS ATTEND BRIEFING HEADED BY HOUSE SPEAKER HON. CLAUDIUS FRANCIS AND SENATE PRESIDENT HON. ALVINA REYNOLDS.

Youth parliamentarians have been given an opportunity to sharpen their skills for the upcoming Youth Parliament. The group was briefed recently by Hon. Claudius Francis, Speaker of the House and Senate President, Senator Alvina Reynolds.

The youth parliament has been an annual feature from 1993 and has evolved over the years into a debate of actual Bills that have been brought to Parliament.

House Speaker Hon. Claudius Francis said he was confident that the current cohort of Youth Parliamentarians will do justice to the debate.

“Previously they would  bring  their own motions to be debated. When I became President in 2012 I thought that if we were looking toward the youth, why not give them an actual Bill that we ourselves have debated? Last year they debated the Domestic Violence Bill, and following the Youth Parliament some of the points made have actually been taken into  consideration with a view to incorporate them into the Domestic Violence Bill," Mr. Francis said.

Senator Alvina Reynolds said she was impressed by the group and found their interest shown for additional training to be commendable.

“They are this country’s future, but preparations begin now. It is important that they are exposed to what governance entails and what is involved in politics so that they understand what it takes to be  a leader nationally and at the community level, so that they can prepare in a better way.  Exposure is important because it helps them to understand what is happening and how they can represent young people and the country as a whole.”

John Tench will serve as Prime Minister during Youth Parliament.

"We have been attending training sessions headed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate as far back as May or June. The sessions informed us about parliamentary processes, the importance of Parliament, and the importance of the Domestic Violence Bill that we are debating this year. It is the most progressive Domestic Violence Bill in the region, so it is really an opportunity for young people to put their voices together and comment on the laws that govern this country.”

Youth Parliament will be held on Sep. 25 and 27. Members of the public will be able to follow Youth Parliament LIVE on the National Television Network (NTN) and the Government of Saint Lucia’s social media feeds.