Black Immigrant Daily News

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has lamented that many students are still exiting the secondary school system without the requisite skills to become employable.

In the face of some criticism of the Human Employment and Resource Training/National Service Training Agency (HEART/NSTA Trust) relative to its present relevance and effectiveness, Holness has declared that the institution has not failed, but is still relevant to addressing the training needs of today’s youth.

Holness made the declaration while delivering an address at the Edward Seaga Human Development Lecture on the 40th anniversary of the HEART/NSTA Trust at the University of Technology (UTECH) on Thursday.

Seaga served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1980 to 1989, and established HEART/NSTA Trust on July 23, 1982.

According to Holness, the training institution was dear to Seaga’s heart. He said the trust was conceptualised to support growth and “increase” the pathways available for young people to improve themselves.

“… The problem that sparked the creation of HEART still exists today,” Holness indicated.

“Our secondary school system is simply not turning out the students at the level of education that makes them trainable, to get them to the next step of being employable,” the prime minister declared further.

“It doesn’t mean that HEART has failed; what it means is that HEART is still relevant in today’s circumstances,” he added.

Holness reasoned that HEART/NSTA Trust is a testament of Seaga’s policies and practices that have benefited all Jamaicans and transitioning political administrations.

“HEART, however, when taken into the context of a total structural readjustment of Jamaica and the Jamaican economy, would be an example of one of his (Seaga’s) policies that did not get caught in the narrow politics of the time, because the truth be told, is that HEART was continued and supported through all administrations that have come,” he stated.

While admitting that there have been policy changes at the training institution by various Governments, he said it continues to be a very important institution in the “architecture of Jamaica”.

Meanwhile, Holness said the objective of his Administration is to “create policies that will last and rise above narrow political agendas”.

He said he takes his lead from former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader and Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, relative to the development of such policies.

“If it is one thing you will say about this Administration, we get things done,” Holness concluded.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

NATURE ISLE NEWS: Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has called a snap general election in the country more than two years before its due date.

In an address to the national Skerrit announced that he had written to the President and advised him to “dissolve the House from November 7, 2022.”

“Nomination Day is November 18, 2022, and the people of Dominica will go to the polls on December 6, 2022.

PART OF THE ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER SKERRIT

We NEED A NATIONAL RESET if we are to fully recover from COVID and put this country back on a trajectory of real and sustainable development over the next 10 to 15 years. 10 Towards this end, we have done our own internal analysis. I started first with myself. I have been your chief servant for 22 years. I am eternally humbled and very grateful for the opportunity you have given me to serve. I hope that my efforts will be judged fairly and within context.

On this occasion of National Reset, I have listened to the views of all, and I have made a personal decision, which I have shared with some of my party elders. You have given me a mandate that constitutionally allows me to remain in office as your Prime Minister until April 2025. I do not intend to go beyond that date. I have run my race and I intend to finish the course, with Dominica safely back on a road of sustained progress and prosperity.

That is why I am calling for a National Reset! I would like, however, to preside over a peaceful and dignified transition of Prime Ministerial leadership to someone of my party and my colleagues’ choosing. We have as a party and a government to prepare for the next five years of covid rebuild and rebound. It will not be easy and will require commitment, dedication and perseverance.  There is a need for a blend of experience, energy, youth and a positive attitude. This is the desired formula for carrying Dominica over the proverbial line. It is my intention to stay on for another two and a half years if it is your will. But some of my colleagues who have been with me throughout this journey, and others whose stint in elective politics has been much shorter, have collectively agreed that the time for renewal of the team is NOW. We need a refreshed Dominica Labour Party team, for these very unpredictable, unprecedented and very challenging times. Following the changes we made in 2019, there shall next time around be other changes, to ensure the continued renewal of our Labour Party frontline, and maintain our continued relevance and the achievement of the visionary goals that we have set for ourselves and our country.

The Dominica Labour Party must continue to be the beacon of hope. It must be the option for those who wish to see our country progress. The challenges that we face are Now…they are already upon us. We cannot take chances with the future of this country.

We have set ourselves on a progressive path of development and growth, that will see prosperity for our people and our country. I shall be honored to use the benefits of my 22 years of experience in politics, to lead the Dominica Labour Party and this country, through this period of global social, political and economic uncertainty. We shall be the change that the country requires as we continually reshape, adjust, and correct course, as we move steadfastly towards that Dynamic Dominica, a resilient Dominica. With that in mind, I shall lead a new-look Dominica Labour Party into fresh general elections that will be held at the soonest possible time. I want the year 2023 to begin with a fresh mandate, given to a fresh Labour team, to commence the work of building post-COVID Dominica. With this in mind, today I met with His Excellency the President and advised that he dissolves the current Parliament of this country effective immediately.

I have asked that a fresh writ be issued on Monday 7th November 2022 for the holding of general elections in the Commonwealth of Dominica. The Dominica Labour Party will reveal its new-look slate of candidates in Mahaut on Tuesday, November 8th. Nomination Day in Dominica shall be Friday the 18th of November. General elections day in Dominica, the day on which the Dominica Labour Party will be seeking a fresh mandate, with a fresh team, is Tuesday 6th December 2022. May God Bless us all. May God continue to guide and bless the precious nature isle of Dominica.

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