ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

The Regional Director of the Guyana-based Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP), Henry Charles, yesterday called on Caribbean governments to put youth enterprise development high on their agenda.

"We need to send out a call to the governments in the region with respect to the question of youth enterprise development. The time has come for them to depart from treating youth enterprise development as a social welfare response to youth problems," he said.

Charles was speaking at a graduation ceremony for 37 young entrepreneurs from a youth business trust initiative.

He said he wanted regional leaders to "treat youth enterprise development as an integral component of the economic recovery or economic development strategy".

The CYP regional director said young entrepreneurs would contribute to the economic development of the region if more resources were placed into youth enterprise development.

"If you recognise that you are in an economic recovery mode, the question of youth enterprise development and getting more young people into business is treated as an integral and important component of that strategy," he said.

Charles said Dominica has played a leading role in the development of the CYP.

Grateful

"The CYP is even more grateful for the unprecedented level of support and commitment demonstrated by the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, prime minister of Domi-nica, towards youth development here in particular and indeed regionally."

At the recent CARICOM summit in St. Kitts, Prime Minister Skerrit asked his colleagues to place the issue of youth development high on their agenda.

It was through the prime minister's efforts that the meeting agreed to establish a CARICOM effort on Youth and Skerrit recently announ-ced a EC$2 million (US$740,740) in his budget presentation to the Dominica Youth Business Trust.

The CYP also presented Skerrit with an award.

"When they fall short we criticise, when they perform we need to show our appreciation. This is a small token of our appreciation to the prime minister of Dominica for visibly demonstrating a commitment and level of dedication to youth development that is unprecedented in the region," Charles said.