By Chantalé Fetcher
ON Palm Sunday, members of the United National Congress (UNC) Youth Arm gathered throughout the country to protest against unemployment, the high cost of living and lack of opportunities.
Protesters dressed in white armed themselves with placards at the UWI tunnel St Agustine, the incompleted Shiva Boys and Paravti Girls Hindu Colleges at Clarke Road, Penal and Hassarath Road in Cunupia, to highlight their frustrations and dissatisfaction with the PNM Government.
In Penal, Councillor for Barrackpore West Nicholas Kanhai said young for far too long has suffered at the hands of this uncaring Government.
He asked, “Why is it in 2022 we have spent $15 million in Carinval and we can’t get schools for the interest of our young people, for students who are the future of our nation completed?
“Pavarti Girls Hindu College, Shiva Boys College, Ramai Trace Hindu School, Rousillac Hindu School and Refor Hindu School, is that a pattern?
“Is it that Hindu schools in this country are being victimised?”
He called on the ministers in education to explain why for seven years, funds have not been allocated to complete these schools.
One protester, Kerwin, a graduate of The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) in 2017 with a BA in Education complained about unemployment.
He said, “It’s been five years since graduation and I cannot get an interview from the Teaching Service Commission.”
Kerwin said it was unfair as he believed the positions were assigned to friends and family of the People’s National Movement (PNM).
He said, “Debe South, Oropuche West, South Trinidad and young graduates of Trinidad and Tobago, we not taking that. Its time you start hiring us!” was the message sent to the Government.
Chairman of the Penal\Debe Regional Corporation Dr Allen Sammy said the required tools were not being provided by the Central Government to facilitate Minister of Local Government Faris Al -Rawi’s idea of one click to access everything on the corporation’s website.
Dr Sammy said, “Under Kamla Persad-Bissessar, we had thousands of children who were empowered through the use of laptops which were free.
“Do you believe that Penal\Debe has bought up to 300 handheld devices for students within the area simply because the state is now begging the private sector to provide what they should have providing routinely?”
He added that Persad-Bissessar had provided thousands of young persons with work experience through the On the Job Training Programme (OJT) which provided training at different levels.
Dr Sammy said when the PNM entered governance, the youth programmes for sport within the area were cut.
He added there were now 36 recreational grounds in the Penal\Debe which could not be maintained simply because resources were not provided.
