The Department of Youth Development in the Prime Minister’s Office held the first two sessions in its series of Parish-based Youth Parliaments last week. The Youth Parliaments which were held at the St. Patrick’s Anglican School on Wednesday 27th and at the St. Mark’s Secondary School on Thursday 28th April, 2005 saw participation from a wide cross-section of young persons including the disabled, students, teachers and the unemployed among others. In St. Patrick’s, Youth Parliamentarians debated on the resolution that police officers should be allowed to search persons without a warrant and to carry out random drug and alcohol testing on the public without the persons giving consent. In attendance were Coordinator of Youth Mr. Cecil Greenidge, Minister of State responsible for Youth Development Sen. Emmalin Pierre, Minister of Finance Hon. Anthony Boatswain and Minister of Sport Sen. Adrian Mitchell as well as former Parliamentary representative in the parish Mr. Kenny Lalsingh. Addressing the proceedings, Mr. Greenidge said that the Youth Parliament was to be used as a means of helping with the promotion and honing of youth leadership skills amongst our young people. “The Parliament is another way of helping young people to sharpen their debating skills in an open public forum and getting them directly involved in Parliamentary Democracy,” he said. Hon. Anthony Boatswain congratulated the Department of Youth Development on the initiative for having the first Youth Parliament in St. Patrick’s. He also congratulated the Youth Parliamentarians on their acceptance of the challenge of being part of the Youth Parliament when there are so many other activities which could have taken up their time. Some of the issues that came up for debate in the Youth Parliament were crime and drugs among young persons, juvenile delinquency and abuse among persons with disabilities especially as it relates to alcohol and illegal drug abuse. Following the Parliament it was resolved that the resolution not be passed. The casting vote was as follows: Eight in favor of the resolution Nine against In St. Mark, the resolution debated was that in the absence of an outlined plan to keep the local economy stable in the wake of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), whether the Houses of Parliament in Grenada should place a hold on all legislation creating enabling structures for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. In attendance were Minister for the Constituency of St. Mark, Hon. Clarice Modeste-Curwen and Coordinator of Youth Mr. Cecil Greenidge. Some issues arising out of the debate were the effects the CSME would have on the labour force; the free movement of skilled persons resulting in brain-drain and the economic status of Grenada. At the end of the debate it was agreed that the resolution not be passed. Parliaments are scheduled for the other parishes in the coming weeks. Source: Department of Youth Development Prime Minister’s Office