Barbados Today

Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler believes that the introduction of free secondary education was one of the most radical youth policies ever, but was not designated as such.

Sinckler made this observation earlier today while speaking in the House of Assembly on the National Youth Policy resolution. He further stated that free health care and the public transport service were also part of Government’s youth policy, but condemned the artificial segmentation that had crept into the debate.

The St. Michael North West MP argued that the parliamentary debate should not be simplistic, and suggested that parliamentarians should talk about a national service instead of a national youth service.

Sinckler told fellow parliamentarians that some Barbadians felt that nothing could be done without money, but he recalled that while on a recent visit to Japan he was told that young people joined with the Ministry of the Environment in keeping the streets of Tokyo clean.

He said: “People in Barbados would see bush and debris in their communities and would expect an undercapitalised and understaffed department to keep their communities clean.”

Sinckler said there were parents who could not pay for extra tuition for their children who were candidates for the Common Entrance Examination, but no student who benefited from free secondary education or tertiary education would volunteer their service to these poor parents.