The commitment was made by the island’s Premier, Mr. Joseph Parry, while meeting with students of the island’s lone Sixth Form College, at the Mount Nevis Hotel, on Monday 7th March, 2011.
Students attending the meeting informed the Premier that Training and Education were of major concern to them and as a consequence, they probed the NIA leader about the process to be followed, for students to obtain the financial assistance of the Island Administration, in order to facilitate their pursuit of tertiary education.
In response, Mr. Parry outlined some of the methods, including good grades in the Sixth Form CAPE exams; seeking higher education in Agriculture; Health or any other areas in which Government had needs; and attaining five basic CXC subjects, could grant a young person financial assistance.
Mr. Parry also exclaimed that he is very proud to say, that about 170 students had already received assistance to pursue higher education.
In support of the Premier’s comments, the Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Youth, Hensley Daniel, informed the Sixth Form students that over the past four years, 35 young people had been afforded the opportunity for training in masonry, carpentry and plumbing in Trinidad, four had received training in Norway and 13 were sent to St. Lucia for Training in Business Management.
Daniel’s counterpart, the Minister of Communications, Works and Utilities, Mr. Carlisle Powell, while responding to a student’s question about alternative energy and the likelihood of training opportunities and higher education available to pursue studies related to geothermal energy, indicated that a number Nevisian students were at present studying Geothermal Energy in El Salvador and will thereafter further their studies in Iceland.
The students were afforded the opportunity to dialogue with the Premier and his Cabinet following a luncheon hosted by the Premier’s Ministry.