Caption: PNM general secretary Foster Cummings. AZP News/Alicia Chamely

By Faith Edwards

FORMER Youth Development Minister Foster Cummings expresses concerns over replacing the Youth Development Ministry.

Speaking with reporters, during the People’s National Movement Media Conference Monday, Cummings said the PNM government had for the first time, established a dedicated Ministry of Youth Development and National Service (MYDNS) to address the needs of young people, particularly those classified as NEET,  not in employment, education, or training.

He said, “The PNM government paid specific attention to youth development. The MYDNS spent significant time and effort rolling out programmes geared towards charting a new course for young people, in agriculture, heavy equipment operation, and more.”

Cummings pointed to initiatives such as the agricultural programme, which aimed to create a new generation of young and productive farmers and reduce the country’s food import bill.

Now that the ministry has been replaced by what he described as “what used to be the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs,” he said he is awaiting clarity on the future of the programmes.

“We will wait and see, just like all other citizens, whether the government continues these programmes. If not, the PNM will have something to say,” he added.

During the final days of election campaigning, before election day Monday April 28, former Prime Minister Stuart Young last mentioned that the party intended to expand programs under the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service, including the revitalization of youth camps, the Military-Led Academic Training (MiLAT), and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).