YOUTH PARADE YESTERDAY

Vibrant displays of music, marching bands, and the energy of Barbados’ youth lit up Kensington Oval on Friday evening, as the Barbados Fire Cadets, YouthAdvance Corps, Girl Guides, and other groups took part in the National Youth Parade.

Amid the celebration, Barbados Youth Development Council (BYDC) president Caleb Brathwaite urged leaders to show greater commitment and consistency in supporting young people.

“Two years ago, this National Youth Parade was born. Since then, our young people have walked a journey marked by trials and triumphs,” he said. “We have faced the harsh realities of climate change, the rate of personal struggles and the scars of loss… But yet here we are… still standing, resilient, hopeful, and determined.”

Brathwaite spoke of the toll of gun violence and suicide, noting: “We have lost too many young lives… one is too many. This is personal for me, having lost a cousin to gun violence last year. So when I say to the families of those who are mourning their loved ones that I know it, I feel it, I know your pain.”

He urged the country to honour those lost by building safer communities, while stressing the need for consistency from leaders. “If you promise to walk with us from A to D, then do that. If there’s a challenge or barrier, tell us… We are not asking for perfection… only a partnership.”