The Saint Lucia National Youth Council (NYC) wishes to inform the public, that the National Students’ Conference which took place over the weekend of 1st and 2nd of February 2013 was a major success. The two-day conference was attended by 24 secondary schools from all over the island with a total of app. 200 participants. After rich and highly participative sessions, the students all voted for their 7-member National executive out of a total of 37 candidates. The new 2013 executive members are as follows:
President: Mr. Kephra Lord (Castries Comprehensive School); 1st Vice President- Miss. Tejanie Persaud (Marigot Secondary); 2nd Vice President – Miss. Elissa ALCEÉ (Castries Comprehensive School); General secretary- Miss. Jedda ALCEÉ (St Joseph’s Convent); Asst. General Secretary- Mr. Trevor Bernard (St. Mary’s College); Treasurer- Mr. Rocyn Vitalis (St. Mary’s College);Public Relations Officer- Miss Princess Joseph (St Joseph’s Convent).
The conference ended on a high note and with a solem charge led by the President of the National Youth Council (Timothy Ferdinand) who witnessed the swearing in of each student officer under an official oath of commitment and service.
The New student executive will have their first meeting with the NYC Executive on Tuesday 5th February for initiation and from thereon, operate from the National Youth Council office in La Pansee, Castries. The student branch executive will be re-integrated into the National Youth Council by the NYC’s dedicated Peace Corps Volunteer- Ms Maria Sebastian and guided by returning officers of the last student executive (Mr. Orlan Prescott (police officer and immediate past treasurer), Mr. Devon Stanley (teacher at the SISSS and immediate past president) and Ms. Alisha Ally (Journalist and immediate past PRO).
The National Students’ Council is a Student-led body that represents Students island-wide. Their purpose is to advocate for students, represent St Lucian students locally and internationally, and to promote Students’ education and well being. This conference was phase II of the NYC strategic revitalisation of the youth movement, youth advocacy and youth participation in St. Lucia and the Caribbean region.
It is worthy of note, that this conference and the revitalisation plan has been fully financed by the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and with the facilitation and approval of the Ministry of Education Human Resource Development and Labour.
The NYC wishes to applaud and thank the Permanent secretary Mrs Fortuna Belrose, Youth Director-Mr Victor Reid, and the youth and sports officers of the Ministry of Youth (especially Mr. Patrick Mathruin) for their dedicated support and hereby urges
the Government of Saint Lucia in particular, the Ministry of Finance to
invest more boldy and confidently towards this Ministry so that the youth structures and groups island wide can receive quality support and better service.
