Montserrat was represented at the historic first UK Overseas Territories Association Youth Summit last Thursday, November 16, 2023, in London.
Held at the Speaker’s House in Westminster, Jaena Golden, who represented the National Youth Parliament in the House of Commons in 2022 and Deuvaunn Darroux, a Montserratian based in the UK, participated in the summit. Darroux previously worked alongside the Clerk and the then Speaker, Shirley Osborne in 2017, on revitalisation of the National Youth Parliament. Also in attendance was Youth Parliamentarian Hayley-Shai Kassie who represented Montserrat in the House of Commons debate the following morning.
The pair discussed with their counterparts from the British Overseas Territories issues affecting youth including education, economics, and climate change.
The Montserratian team said that the current challenge with low employment is tied to the limited opportunities for further education. They identified the limited number of national scholarships distributed and the restrictions on the areas they cover, which often do not align with what students want to study or where the opportunities of the future lie as further exacerbating the unemployment crisis. As an example, they stated that forcing students pursuing medical degrees to return right after their first degree rather than allowing them to gain experience abroad or to specialise in particular areas, means the island lacks the specialists care that is urgently needed.
They also noted that having no regulated transportation system across the island makes it a challenge for young people without access to a car to move around to get to and from work or to start a business of their own.
The summit produced a draft communique covering several areas of discussion.
ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
Youth participants at the British Overseas Territories Youth Summit highlighted the following economic challenges facing their territories:
- Employment: High unemployment rates, particularly among young people.
- Cost of living: Soaring prices for essential goods and services, making it difficult for young people to afford to live and work in their territories.
- Land loss and housing: Limited availability of affordable housing, due to factors such as rising land prices and development.
Participants called for the following policy actions to address these challenges:
- Investment in job creation: Governments should invest in sectors that create good-paying jobs for young people, such as renewable energy, tourism, and creative industries.
- Support for affordable housing: Governments should provide subsidies and tax breaks to developers to build affordable housing for young people.
- Land reform: Governments should review land ownership laws and regulations to ensure that more land is available for affordable housing and economic development.
CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
Youth participants at the British Overseas Territories Youth Summit expressed deep concern about the threat of climate change and environmental degradation to their territories. Participants highlighted the following specific challenges:
- Sea level rise: Many British Overseas Territories are low-lying and vulnerable to sea level rise, which is already causing flooding and erosion.
- Extreme weather events: British Overseas Territories are also experiencing more extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and droughts.
- Biodiversity loss: British Overseas Territories are home to a wide range of unique ecosystems and species, which are threatened by climate change, pollution, and invasive species.
Participants called for the following policy actions to address these challenges:
- Investment in climate adaptation and mitigation: Governments should invest in measures to protect their territories from the impacts of climate change, such as seawalls, mangrove restoration, and renewable energy.
- Sustainable development: Governments should adopt policies that promote sustainable development and protect the environment.
- Environmental education and awareness: Governments should raise awareness of climate change and environmental issues among the public and educate young people about the importance of sustainable living.
EDUCATION
Youth participants at the British Overseas Territories Youth Summit identified the following challenges in the education sector:
- Limited resources: Many British Overseas Territories have limited resources to invest in education. This can lead to overcrowded classrooms, shortages of qualified teachers, and a lack of access to quality educational materials.
- Curriculum relevance: The curriculum in some British Overseas Territories may not be relevant to the needs of students and the local economy.
- Skills development: There is a need to develop more vocational and technical training programs to prepare young people for the workforce.
Participants called for the following policy actions to address these challenges:
- Increased funding for education: Governments should increase funding for education to ensure that all students have access to quality education.
- Curriculum reform: Governments should work with educators and stakeholders to develop a curriculum that is relevant to the needs of students and the local economy.
- Investment in vocational and technical training: Governments should invest in vocational and technical training programs to prepare young people for the workforce.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, hosted the youth representatives for lunch at the Speaker’s House. This summit, organized under the auspices of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) offices, was agreed upon during the last Speakers Conference held in April 2023 in Anguilla.
