Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Youth, the Honourable Shawn Richards said this during a radio and television address to officially mark the start of Youth Month 2019 on Friday, November 01.
Minister Richards said it was particularly important to touch on “the profound impact that the words we choose and the things we say have on them.”
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He stated that, “Words have the power to bring us down and to lift us up. The wrong choice of words can strip us of our dreams and hopes, but the right words have the power to change the way we perceive the world.”
The deputy prime minister continued, “Therefore, I ask you, the parents, to be mindful that your words will influence the emotional and social development needed for your children’s later success. Choose your words wisely and ensure that they align with the development needs of the child, that they motivate the child towards positive behaviour, and hold the child’s interest.”
Minister Richards also encouraged the general public to give full support to youth work and young people, noting that while “It takes a community to raise a child; it requires the entire country to raise a generation.”
This year’s Youth Month is being celebrated under the theme Empowering our Youth to Follow Their Dreams, Youth Month 2019. Some of the activities scheduled are a Seabed Cleanup on November 09, a Fun Day for the Differently Abled on November 15, and both a Chef Competition and Choir Competition for the High Schools on November 26 and 28, respectively.
