00:00The Dr. Desiree Murray Chair Joint Select Committee of Parliament today start to consider youth unemployment and underemployment in Trinidad
00:09and Tobago.
00:10For Terryann Baker, First Vice President of the Trinidad Youth Council, it's a much-needed conversation.
00:17Youth are not afterthoughts. They are pioneers, innovators, inventors, creatives, and they all deserve a space to thrive in society.
00:27Minimum wages continue to restrict youth and their ability to sustain a reasonable quality of life.
00:35The ability to live in decent accommodation, purchase a decent vehicle, and pay for basic necessities, and still enjoy social
00:45activities is not a luxury.
00:48Baker says the crisis is extending beyond economics and is now reshaping major life decisions for young people.
00:55Dating conversations have shifted to $200 dates, and women no longer want children.
01:02Youth are living with their families longer, and most are unable to purchase a vehicle.
01:07Housing is completely out of their reach, with greed and a lack of regulation contributing heavily towards inaccessibility.
01:14Across in Tobago, General Secretary of the Tobago Youth Council, Delano Jofield, highlighted structural challenges unique to the island.
01:23Foremost, among those is the limited diversification of Tobago's economy.
01:30Tobago remains heavily dependent on tourism and public sector employment, making opportunities vulnerable to economic downturns, seasonal changes, and fluctuations
01:40in state expenditure.
01:42This has significantly limited the availability of sustainable, year-round employment opportunities for all young people.
01:49Jofield also pointed to a growing mismatch between qualifications and labor market demands, along with poor transport and unreliable internet
01:59access, which he says continue to block opportunities for remote work and digital entrepreneurship.
02:06Many young people continue to face difficulties accessing employment because employers often prioritize experienced workers, creating a cycle where youth
02:17cannot gain experience because they are unable to secure opportunities in the first place.
02:22The committee also heard concerns over the country's growing NEET population, young people not in employment, education, or training, which
02:33currently stands at approximately 14%.
02:37UE Guild President Joshua Jitter said the system for identifying and re-engaging these young people must improve.
02:44He recommended targeted stipends and dedicated engagement pathways to reconnect disconnected youth with opportunities.
02:53Create a dedicated re-engagement pathway.
02:55We have organizations such as the OJT program and YTEP, but NEET youth are not served by those platforms because
03:04both require self-initiation.
03:06A dedicated outreach unit operating through community centers, religious institutions, and civil society organizations would be necessary to reach them
03:16where they are.
03:17The Joint Select Committee is expected to continue consultations as it develops recommendations aimed at addressing one of the country's
03:25most pressing social and economic challenges.
03:28Urvishit Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
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