A CARICOM draft report providing an analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing Caribbean youth, derived from a sampling of 6,000 young people in 13 countries was presented recently, the St. Kitts and Nevis Democrat reported on Nov. 23. The report demonstrates the Caribbean needs to place youth development at the core of national priorities, if not national survival.

Unlike Europe and other larger country territories, where young people comprise 30 percent of the population, in the Caribbean, young people make up 60 percent of residents in the region. Findings from the study show the majority of adolescents and youth have never heard of the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME), while in each member and associate state, some have never heard of CARICOM. Few can identify concrete opportunities, benefits or implementation mechanisms.

The CSME is widely perceived to discriminate against the average man or woman, unskilled workers and countries with few higher education opportunities and institutions. In addition, young people perceive national and public information and marketing messages to be vague, excessively technical and largely ineffective. Eighty-five per cent of Caribbean nationals aged 15 to 29 would leave their countries if they had the opportunity. The basis of this trend is changing, primarily as young people desire to leave for larger countries due to crime and violence.