Once again, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Subregional Office (SRO) for Barbados and the OECS, has shown its ongoing support to the Barbados Youth Business Trust (BYBT) and the young entrepreneurs they support by assisting the Trust to attend the upcoming OAS Summit of the Americas, which is scheduled for next week in Trinidad.  The Summit will focus on issues surrounding human prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability.  Marcia Brandon, Executive Director of BYBT, in partnership with the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), will be a panelist on the session titled "Surviving the Storm:  The Growing Economic Crisis and its Impact on Youth."  She will also attend meetings for YABT's partners on April 13^th-14, as well as the Civil Society Forum.

Other sponsors are the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) through the Multi-lateral Investment Fund (MIF) and YABT. Vashtie Dookiesingh, MIF Specialist supported the presence of youth business trusts at the summit and noted that as civil society organizations promoting social and economic development for youth this will serve to foster partnership building, garner support and facilitate the exchange and sharing of lessons learnt to the benefit of their cause.

Selected young entrepreneur, Sharima Brooks of Fusion Squad, a Barbadian entertainment company with 4 partners, agreed that participation at the Summit is a very exciting opportunity for her company and she is looking forward to learning a lot and networking with people with whom she can build social and business alliances.

Brandon noted that when young people are unemployed, facing various types of disadvantages, such as being unable to support themselves, a country's human prosperity and security are compromised.  Additionally, when Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society are underfunded, do not have a voice and are overlooked, this results in effective governance being undermined.

Paula Mohammed, UNDP SRO Governance Programme Manager, expressed that UNDP was pleased to be able to support this opportunity for involvement of regional young entrepreneurs and youth entrepreneurship practitioners and looks forward to a report of the participation in the Summit as well as continued collaboration with BYBT.

Roy Thomasson of Young Americas Business Trust reported that The Youth Forum of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago prior to the 5^th Summit is an opportunity for young people and organizations, like the Barbados Youth Business Trust, to be recognized for the important contributions they make to Caribbean communities.  The OAS and the Young Americas Business Trust have long supported these initiatives so Member States can mobilize the talents and skills of young people to create employment for themselves and others.