Posted: Wednesday, April 9, 2025. 10:26 am CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: CARICOM Youth Ambassador Marissa Cervantes is calling out the Government for “systemic neglect” of youths and has commended Minister Devin Daly for bringing this to light.
“This conversation is not about party politics—it’s about our future. If you’re a young person in Belize and you didn’t wake up angry today, then you are truly disconnected from the reality many face. The youth of this country have been overlooked for far too long, and it’s high time we change that. They deserve better, they want better, and they know better,” Cervantes said.
“I want to give credit where it’s due. Honorable Devin Daly has been brave enough to bring this dire situation to light. And for that, we owe him our respect and support. But let’s be real: we need to step up and act. The conversation has gone on long enough. It’s time to stop pretending this is about “youth apathy.” It’s about systemic neglect, and it’s about time we fix that,” she added.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Devin Daly said that of the $7.5 million annual budget, only $500,000 is left over for programming, utilities, and facility upkeep after salaries are paid. “That’s the money we use to really bring programmatic work and also to upkeep our facilities, utilities and all those stuff,” Daly said.
“How can we expect to create opportunities for young people when the funds that should be used to empower them are essentially tied up in bureaucratic red tape? This is an insult to the youth, and it’s an insult to every Belizean who believes in a brighter future,” Cervantes stated.
Cervantes said that the country is not free when its young people are shackled by a system that refuses to invest in them.
“We cannot keep blaming the youth for not settling for mediocrity when we, as a nation, have failed to provide them with the tools they need to succeed.
It’s time we get it together. It’s time we show young Belizeans that they matter. It’s time we prove that they are not just future leaders—they are leaders now. And they need a government that will invest in them, give them the opportunities they deserve, and stop throwing them breadcrumbs,” Cervantes further added.
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The post CARICOM Youth Ambassador calls out “systemic neglect” of youths; commends Minister Daly for speaking up appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Wednesday, April 9, 2025. 10:26 am CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff: CARICOM Youth Ambassador Marissa Cervantes is calling out the Government for “systemic neglect”
The post CARICOM Youth Ambassador calls out “systemic neglect” of youths; commends Minister Daly for speaking up appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
