GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE SPORTING LEAGUE FOR YOUNG, MALES
While there are about 150 males between the ages 18 to 30 at His Majesty’s Prison, there are some 2,650 males in that same age group at the Saint Vincent Community College (SVCC) and thousands more doing positive things.
Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Ralph Gonsalves made this observation while speaking in parliament on Thursday January 9th, 2025.
He said that while the majority of serious violent criminal offences in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) are committed by young males, this group is in the minority and more young males are involved in positive ventures.
Gonsalves was at the time addressing a question asked by the Parliamentary Member of Parliament for East Kingstown Fitzgerald Bramble in which he was inquiring about the success of the government’s crime fighting strategy.
The Prime Minister said that crime has many causes, and among them is the lack of parental guidance and bad choices made by some young males.
He said that the issue of crime fighting is something to be addressed not only by the government but by other organisations like churches and community groups.
“There are some that have decided by choice, let us not forget this, in the prisons in this country, there are 400 persons, most of them are men, 90 something percent, you may have 150 between the ages 18 to 30, maybe 35, but don’t forget that you have 2, 650 in that age group at the community college,” Gonsalves pointed out.
He said also that there are over 3,000 males in that same age group at university, including 2,000 of them at the Global Campus in SVG.
Gonsalves mentioned also that hundreds of youngsters in the same age group have been given support by the Promoting Youth Micro Enterprises (PRYME) grant and are doing well.
The Minister of National Security said that outside of the various courtrooms in the country, there are young males who are engaged in organisations like the Cadet Corps, Steelpan sides, the Police Youth clubs, Church groups and Sporting organisations.
“There are thousands upon thousands of young people who are doing wonderful meaningful things all the time and there is a minority of young males who have by choice chosen something else. We all have a challenge that all of us have to address,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that the 2025 Budget is funding a premier league football competition to the tune of around EC1$ million where players who are deemed semi-professionals will be paid EC$200 per game.
“They will play for three, four months, there are 23 on each side, the squad, 16 will be on the ground, but we will pay everybody on the squad, $200 a game,” the Prime Minister said while noting that 10 teams are involved and the details have been worked out with the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF).
He said that a young male that may have a connection with a criminal element and goes to play football may see the $200 as less as what he would make from his association with a criminal grouping but that is a choice.
