St Kitts and Nevis: The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis has joined other Caribbean countries and has become the newest member to launch the Opportunities to Advance and Support Youth for Success (OASYS) of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission.
As per the update by the government, the launch ceremony took place on June 16, 2023 (Friday).
The main objective of the project is the implementation of plans and strategies which will contribute to the reduction of violence- and crime rates in the country. This will also focus on improvising the justice system of the twin-island Federation. Under this project, the government of St Kitts and Nevis will also focus on strengthening the existing programmes.
In addition to this, the project will also invest in new ones for providing psychosocial support, development skills and family interventions to the young population of the country, which has been dealing with conflicts in the law.
The project will work on the above-mentioned plans with the help of government and non-government partners, civil society as well as private sector organisations.
Prime Minister of the Federation, Dr Terrance Drew, addressed the attendees during the launch of the OASYS project. During his address, he highlighted that this is a “transformative journey dedication to empowering the youth of St Kitts and Nevis.”
He added that the Opportunities to Advance and Support Youth for Success (OASYS) project will help the youth to shine. As per the PM, this project will act as a catalyst in offering the young population the tools which will help them in overcoming the obstacles.
“This shows our belief in helping people grow, supporting their aspirations, and building a future full of endless opportunities,” Prime Minister was quoted saying.
Further, while emphasising violence and crime, PM Dr Drew mentioned that undoubtedly these crimes and acts of violence affect young people, especially boys aged 10 to 29, more than any other group, and it’s a big social problem.
“Earlier this year, leaders from CARICOM came together in Trinidad and Tobago to discuss a proposal by Dr Izben Williams, who is from our country. He suggested that we should approach crime and violence as a public health issue. Until now, we have been focusing on dealing with the immediate problem instead of looking at the underlying causes. I want to assure the people of our nation that our government will address the root causes of interpersonal crime and violence and invest in finding solutions,” he asserted.
In conclusion, PM Terrance Drew expressed his gratitude towards the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for their continuous support to the government in combating the major challenges in the country, including crime and violence.
