The Tribune

By DANIELLE BARNES

THE government’s summer youth programme will launch on July 2 and will provide participants with employment and positive activities.

The programme was launched in 2006. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s main goal with the initiative is to help young people become more prepared for the business world by providing a wide array of programmes in which young people are able to gain experience and a source of income.

Participants learn aspects of entrepreneurship such as the essentials of owing their own business, the free enterprise system, business and economic terms and business organisation and management.

Both the private and public sectors work to hire young people between the ages of 15-26. Applicants are required to have a valid police certificate, National Insurance card, passport, school ID and copies of all academic qualifications. Those hired participate in one of two four week sessions. These sessions were created to allow as many students to experience summer employment.

Students are paid according to their qualifications.

In 2016, there was a 25 per cent increase in the allocation for this programme. Press Secretary Anthony Newbold stated on Wednesday in a press briefing that there will be no increase in the new fiscal year.

“Government of course [is] always mindful of the need for fiscal responsibility,” he said.

The $2.5m that was allocated in 2016 will be maintained for this year’s programme.

The programme will conclude on August 31. Applications were due by May 30.

Meanwhile, the government recently approved the attendance of civil servants in several training sessions. This approval consisted of the training for a foreign service officer to be trained in diplomatic skills in Venezuela. The government also approved a microbiologist to be trained in building practices to contribute to the safety and quality of food.

There was also a labour officer dispatched to learn about population level estimates of exposure to occupational carcinogens among workers.

“All of this is added to what is already being done to build capacity to deal with these situations [New Providence Landfill],” said Mr Newbold.