Youth and Health Minister on Nevis calls for greater private sector partnership to educate island’s youths

Minister of Youth and Health in the Nevis Island Administration Hon. Hensley Daniel at the ceremony to announce the winners of the Nevis Island Administration/Medical University of the Americas Health Science Scholarships (middle) flanked by Ms. Kamara Louisy (l) and Ms. Earline Pemberton (r)

NIA-CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (August 26, 2011) — Minister responsible for Youth and Health on Nevis Hon. Hensley Daniel, called for greater private sector partnerships with the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) in its quest to point the youth of Nevis in the direction of education. Mr. Daniel made the call on Monday, at a ceremony to announce the winners of the NIA/Medical University of the Americas Health Science Scholarship.

“Our country needs several of these persons and we invite the contribution of several other institutions not just the Medical University but we believe there are several other entities in Nevis, generating enough excess revenue or profit which can facilitate the education of our young people. I hope this example by MUA sends the positive message to other institutions, private entities, Non Governmental Organisations that we need to help to educate our people. “I think the Government has set the tone. We have led by making scholarships available to over 180 students, so I think now we could partner with other institutions and I am making the call for that,” he said.

According to Mr. Daniel, the NIA had come to the realisation that real development included people and like the South Eastern Asian countries, whose focus was centered on people development because they had no natural resources, the NIA had taken the same approach. “Our approach must be to develop the people and give them the opportunity to improve themselves… We believe that if we educate our people, we have done the most important thing for them. We believe that the business of education must be continuous,” he said while he urged the island’s youths to stay in school, pursue their education and to work hard and to conduct themselves in a decent and orderly manner.

Mr. Daniel made note that the Ministry of Health was pleased with the partnership forged with the MUA for the Health Science scholarships and spoke of the importance of study in the area of health. “This is an important move for us. Those of us who remember Nevis 30 years ago Nevis used to have either one doctor or no doctor and as I speak to you, we have about 13 or so doctors on Nevis.