Beautiful Virgin Islands


Smith promises ‘BVI Youth Trust’ if elected

Smith promises ‘BVI Youth Trust’ if elected

Amid recurring reports of violence and indiscipline in local schools, Territorial At-Large candidate in the upcoming General Elections, Lorna Smith is promising to establish what she described as a BVI Youth Trust if elected.
Smith, a former First Lady of the Virgin Islands, said this would be one of her first acts. She said the Trust would be governed by a fully independent board and have branches in each electoral district.

“The Trust will step in where schools or the college currently cannot,” Smith stated during a recent statement declaring her candidacy. “It will fund youth counsellors who can work in the schools and support after-school activities. It will create further education, training and mentorship opportunities so that our children stay on the right track, can access the support they and their parents need and find the inspiration to live their best lives possible.”

The political hopeful further said her vision for the programme would be to finance it through a public-private partnership.

She said the idea would be to secure funding from the local private sector to finance the extracurricular activities, allowing the government to then focus on education and “direct the work for the young as well as for the people”.

“The private sector can also provide more than just money,” Smith added. It can provide highly skilled mentorship, and vocational training and we as a government can ensure that our people can climb the ladder to professional and financial excellence themselves. We must empower them to be strong, proud citizens creating a bright future for themselves and our country.”

Smith also said there is a need for the government to work with the proprietors of early childhood education centres to ensure that the territory’s children get their start in life with proper oversight and policies, driven by our education professionals.

The former First Lady said the present-day challenges facing youth in the BVI are “greater than ever before” and said it is pivotal that students are provided with “the very best education at both elementary and high school levels”.

Just last month, Education Minister Sharie de Castro painted a dire picture of the state of affairs at the territory’s secondary schools as she confirmed that there have been threats from students to the lives of their peers, school officials, security officers, and even threats to destroy property.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
UK Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine: A Strategic Move or Intensifying The Proxy War?
Renewed ISIS Threat Puts Syria’s Cultural Heritage in Peril
Escalation in Moscow: High-Profile Assassination and International Tensions Intensify
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: A New Cold War Frontier?
Ukraine's Bold Move: High-Stakes Assassination of Russian General in Moscow
Dubai's Technological Leap: Brain Chips and AI Board Members by 2025
Tragedy Strikes Wisconsin School as Shooting Claims Lives of Teacher and Student
UK's Calculated Gamble: Balancing Defense Aid to Ukraine and Domestic Demands
UK Intensifies Stranglehold on Russian Oil, but Does It Dampen Putin’s Resolve?
British Voter Endorsement of Reeves's Bold Tax Strategy
Nicola Sturgeon Warns of 'Toxic' Discourse: The Perils of Polarisation in Modern Politics
Levelling Down: How the Conservatives Underspent on Regional Revitalization
Alleged Chinese Espionage: The Entangled Web Beyond Prince Andrew
Starmer Navigates Diplomatic Tightrope Amid Chinese Espionage Revelations Involving Prince Andrew
Balancing Democracy and Disorder: The Trial of a Milkshake Incident
Royal Mail Enters New Chapter Under Czech Ownership
UK Companies Slash Jobs Amid Economic Strain
Kemi Badenoch Rekindles Flat Tax Debate Amid Inheritance Tax Uproar
Rewiring Whitehall: New Cabinet Secretary's Mandate for Change
Legal Battle Revives: Lucy Letby Seeks Fresh Appeal as Expert Evidence Faces Scrutiny
Accusations Fly as UK-China Relations Spark Tension Within British Politics
The Delicate Dance of Devolution: As English Council Elections Face Delays
The Alleged Chinese Spy at the Heart of British Royal Circles: Yang Tengbo Unmasked
Prince Andrew Withdraws from Royal Christmas Amidst Chinese Espionage Scandal
EU Takes Legal Action Against UK Over Allegedly Neglected Rights of EU Citizens
Disaster Strikes: Oil Spill in the Black Sea and Cyclone Devastation in Mayotte
Oil Tanker Disaster in the Kerch Strait: A Confluence of Environmental Catastrophe and Geopolitical Tensions
Olaf Scholz’s Gamble: The Collapse of Germany’s Coalition Government and the Path to Early Elections
Keir Starmer's 'Sycophantic' Tone: Tensions Rise Over UK-China Relations
Trump Recognizes Partial Advances in Ceasefire Attempts in Ukraine Conflict
UK Navigates Complex Global and Domestic Challenges Amid Security, Environmental, and Health Concerns
Tragic Loss of Fashion Visionary: Isak Andic's Enduring Legacy Beyond Mango
UK's CPTPP Gamble: A Strategic Leap Toward the Indo-Pacific
Mango Founder Isak Andic Dies in Tragic Accident
Disney’s Dangerous Power Play: How Bob Iger's Personal Agenda Could Cost His Company Billions
ABC's $15 Million Settlement: A Turning Point in Media Defamation Battles
×