When a group of young people met in a miniature version of nation’s House of Representatives, they left some major lessons on the minds of current Members of Parliament.
And for those lessons, the participants in the National Youth Parliament were commended by Patrick Simmons, MP for St. Andrew South East and Minister for Youth Empowerment and Sports; and by Peter David, MP for the Town of St. George and Minister for Tourism, Civil aviation and Culture.
The National Youth Parliament, held at the Deluxe Cinema in Grenville, was one of the activities commemorating November as Youth Month.
It was a packed room of students and adults, including Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas, who left early because he had to attend another event.
The debaters – one group acting as the incumbents in government and the other as the parliamentary opposition – discussed the resolution: “Be it resolved that tourism is a critical industry for the economic development of Grenada in the short to medium term”.
The exchange of arguments on the resolution was backed by genuine research and facts, and with the youth expressing their feelings on economic and social issues.
Minister Simmons, noting youth frustration emerging from the debate, said although government is doing its best, he understood the message from the young people. He added that part of the solution lies in working collaboratively with youth.
Several suggestions were made for improving tourism, including linking the industry to other economic sectors.
The suggestions were welcomed by Minister David. He invited the youth to attend a tourism conference at the Grenada Trade Centre on Tuesday, November 29.
At the conference, whose guests will include top regional tourism representatives, Mr. David and Ministry of Tourism officials will announce a new strategic plan for tourism.
