UNICEF – Youth Advice St. Maarten, “My New World” project submits advices to Members of Parliament

On Thursday, November 26, 2020 Youths of the “My New World” project organized by UNICEF visited the House of Parliament to submit advices on the new world they would like to see.

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) is responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children around the world. UNICEF the Netherlands supports youth throughout the Dutch Kingdom with making their opinions heard loud and clear.

Through the youth participation campaign “My New World”, UNICEF aims to ensure that opinions and ideas for actions by the young people in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are collected and shared with the respective governments.

In the request submitted by UNICEF the Netherlands for Parliament to engage with the youth it was stated that the Covid-19 pandemic has created a lot of disturbance and uncertainty which raises concerns for the youth in the Caribbean parts of our Kingdom. Thus, the question of how the ideal world should look.

Focus groups were created whereby discussions on all kinds of topics were communicated and based on the finding the most important topics were chosen.

The Youths of the “My New World” project submitted many advices to the Parliament of Sint Maarten in a closed-door session on November 26, 2020 relating to the following topics:

Education - Regulating online learning by standardizing platforms across the system;

Sports - Prioritize and promote sports and sporting activities;

Culture, Economy and Environment - Revitalize Philipsburg as a thriving economic and culture center.

The closed-door session was chaired by the Chairlady of the Committee of Education Culture, Youth and Sports, Member of Parliament Ms. Angelique J.G. Romou. Members of Parliament Mr. Sidharth M. Bijlani, Mr. Claudius A. Buncamper, Mr. Raeyhon A. Peterson and Ms. Solange L. Duncan

represented their respective factions in receiving the advices submitted by representatives of the “My New World” project. After the presentation, the Members of Parliament that were present, held a brief discussion with the Youths.

The deliberations between the Youths of the “My New World” project regarding the advises presented and the Members of Parliament representing their respective faction were well reciprocated. The Members of Parliament present were all in agreeance with the advices proposed and gave their full support in having them carried out by means of further discussions in committee meetings and calling in the responsible Ministers relating to the topics.