YEF is the buzzword for the St Lucia National Trust as it embarks on its first ever Youth Environment Forum. Through YEF the Trust hopes to empower youth to become advocates for environment and heritage conservation. Yesterday, Monday July 6, the Bay Gardens Beach Resort conference room saw representatives from the Trust along with government officials welcoming the initiative, under the theme “Greening Fair Helen.”

The forum is scheduled for July 13-17. Activities will take place Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the RC Boys Primary School on Brazil Street in Castries. On Wednesday the group will be touring key environmental and conservation sites compliments of Island Adventures and the week will culminate with a gathering on Friday at the Pigeon Island National Landmark. The forum targets children between seven to eighteen years and hopes to enlighten participants on themes ranging from Climate Change to Biodiversity. Participants are encouraged to devise a plan to “green” their home, school or community which will be executed over a one year period.

“Today is a day for celebration,” said Trust Chairman Anderson Lake at Monday’s launch. “Today is a day of joyfulness, of hope. Today is a day of promise. Today marks a very special occasion; a new beginning for the St Lucia National Trust and the young people of St Lucia in safeguarding our environment,” he continued. Mr Lake believes a bright future is ahead for St Lucia because so many young people are involved in YEF who can help shape the
St Lucia they envisage.

Senator Gaspard Charlemagne was on hand to speak for the Ministry of Education and Culture. After endorsing the program, he outlined one of the primary reasons this program caught his attention. He read from a letter sent to him from the Trust. “It is anticipated that the Youth Environment Forum will help to make some 90 youngsters from across the island more aware of the environment issues and give them the necessary tools to boldly address these issues.” Organization is key, in his opinion, and he believes the drive the Trust has will lead them far and they are in an ideal position to make a difference.

The British High Commission is a partner as well as a sponsor for this initiative and although Debra Worrel, an executive officer with the High Commission was absent, she sent her best wishes, saying, “many environmental issues are of direct relevance to the Caribbean, particularly climate change, protecting biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources. There is no easy answer to combating climate change and it requires a response at the individual, national and international level. A key priority of the UK government is to see the reduction in carbon emissions, the root cause of global warming.” Ms Worrel went on to state that the UK government has key partners in the Caribbean, such as the University to the West Indies, to build capacity in the region to tackle climate change.

Mykal Branford, a young participant from the Camille Henry Memorial School, took to the podium to tell his peers why he wants to be a part of YEF. “Nowadays when you hear people talking about the environment, they are often referring to the overall condition of our planet. As a lover of nature, I am here to join the Youth Environment Forum and would like more knowledge on my environment and how I can protect its resources. I hope to achieve better understanding and appreciation of a live green, live free environment.”

His female counterpart from the Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary School, Ashley Montoute, recited a poem and was well received by the gathering. She ended with “Before the settlers came along, the natives treated it well. They lived in peace together, while trees grew tall and strong. The question that I’d like to know is, why have we got it wrong?”

The activity has received support from the private sector with Bank of St Lucia being a Gold sponsor and committing three years of support. LUCELEC, CFL, Dominoes Pizza, Island Adventures, Renwick and Company, have all pledged their support to start YEF with a bang.