On Tuesday 7th February, 2023 Minister of Youth Development and National Service, the Honourable Foster Cummings led a team on a site visit, to projects in the Los Bajos Palo-Seco districts. Among members of the team were officials of the Ministry, as well as the Member of Parliament for La Brea and Minister of Labour, the Honourable Stephen Mc Clashie, and officials from the CEPEP Company. First stop was at Beach Camp, Palo Seco, where the Minister discussed arrangements for a new initiative, namely the Palo Seco Youth Agricultural Project. This undertaking is intended to benefit youths 16-35 years old, living in relatively close communities around Palo Seco.
Minister Cummings indicated that an intervention was necessary to address issues of unemployment faced by residents as a result of the closure of the Petrotrin refinery. He added that the Palo Seco Agricultural Project would add to the Ministry’s existing initiatives such as: The Youth Apprenticeship Homestead Programme and the Youth Agricultural Shade House Project, which the Ministry is implementing to address the issue of food security.
The Honourable Stephen Mc Clashie opined that he was “certain that the people in the surrounding communities can become engaged and most definitely excel in an intervention, such as this agricultural project.”
The Palo Seco Agricultural Project is intended to provide training for 100 youths between the ages of 16 and 35, in what has been defined as “vertical and horizontal hydroponics of vegetables.” The output from this project is intended to be utilized as supplemental meal provisions for other youth programmes such as MYPART and the Civilian Conservation Corps, participants in which will be housed at the Beach Camp Facility in Palo Seco. Upon completion of the programmes, those participants will receive a certificate. The Project is intended to afford participants the opportunity to become successful agribusiness entrepreneurs and to contribute to the country’s efforts towards sustainable development. As a means of facilitating this project, restorative and infrastructural works are underway on four bungalows and five acres of designated land in the Heritage Petroleum (formerly Petrotrin) compound.
In addition to the Beach Camp Facility visit, Minister Cummings, his team and Member of Parliament, Stephen Mc Clashie visited the Youth Facility in nearby Los Bajos. Siparia Regional Corporation Councillor, Arlene Ramdeo, was present as well. There, they discussed matters pertaining to the ongoing construction and upgrade of the facility. Upon completion of these works, the facility will be used as a venue to accommodate technical and life skills programmes, recreational activities and community functions for residents in the surrounding areas.
Minister Cummings expressed the hope that a partnership involving the MIC Institute of Technology in vocational training could be a base for youth empowerment and development in the area. MP Mc Clashie stated that he welcomed these projects in the recipient communities. The Palo Seco Agricultural Project is proposed to start in the third quarter of 2023, while the Los Bajos Youth Facility is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2023.
The Ministry of Youth Development and National Service remains committed to bringing all stakeholders together to promote youth development and encourages civic-minded citizens to contribute to national service across Trinidad and Tobago.
