Addressing Vincentian youth who feel alienated by persistent economic stagnation, Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Godwin Friday announced targeted economic interventions designed to create immediate employment and entrepreneurial pathways, pledging to deliver “not just a handout but a hand up.”
During his 47th Independence Address, the Prime Minister confronted the country’s youth unemployment crisis head-on, citing sobering statistics showing that more than half of all 15-to-19-year-olds in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines who want work are currently unable to find jobs.
To break the cycle of joblessness and equip young Vincentians with marketable skills, the Prime Minister announced major expansions to two targeted programs:
- The WE CAN Programme Expansion: Designed to provide technical job training and seed support for youth-led micro-enterprises, the WE CAN programme is now expanding directly into climate-smart agriculture, specifically targeting 400 rural young people to drive food security and modern agribusiness.
- The PACE Community Enterprise Fund: A newly established community fund, dubbed PACE, will distribute micro-grants directly across every district. The fund empowers youth groups and local community enterprises to finance and execute grassroots projects that generate immediate, sustainable neighborhood employment.
Prime Minister Friday articulated an economic vision centered on coupling a resilient social safety net with tangible upward mobility: “A strong safety net and a ladder of opportunity side by side. That is how we protect the vulnerable while we grow the economy.”
The youth initiatives will operate alongside major medium-term commercial investments, including a recently signed concession agreement with Global Ports Holding to redevelop the Kingstown Cruise Ship Terminal and construct a modern cruise port in Clifton Harbour, Union Island.
Together with 13 active investment proposals managed by Invest SVG—representing nearly EC$1.2 billion in proposed capital—these projects are slated to open hundreds of construction, hospitality, marine, and creative jobs for Vincentian workers.
