Another Chapter in the Ongoing Controversy
The National Youth Council says it feels justified in its approach to the Ministry of Social Transformation, Youth and Sports.
Marvin Edgar, the NYC's President, says he is confident that it is the ministry that needs to change its approach and attitude toward the NYC, and not the other way around.
Mr. Edgar spurred another battle with the youth ministry on Saturday, May 3rd, at the National Youth Awards at the Gaiety in Gros-Islet.
The controversy arose when Mr. Edgar claimed he was maliciously omitted from the ceremony's programme for the evening.
Mr. Edgar alleges that when he brought it to the ministry's attention, his concerns were met with negativity and disregard.
He then marched out of the youth proceedings in protest.
Speaking to our news desk on May 5th, we asked Mr. Edgar why he thought his actions are so warranted.
This was his response...
"It is obvious that we have the support of non governmental organisations and some members of government. Senator Mangal made it clear during her Senate Presentation made it clear that the ministry should stop the negative approach it has toward the organisation and I can quote directly from Senator Mangal, and I quote "...on the subject of the National Youth Council, Madame Speaker, as a former president of the student branch of the National Youth Council, I want to warn persons at the Ministry of Youth ad Sports who want to pick senseless battles with the NYC that those adversarial days are over as indicated in our 2006 manifesto. Therefore we do not want to hear any ministry personnel, purporting to relay the policies of this government, making statements over our media, disrespect the NYC and its leaders and which seeks to delay the payment of the organisation's justly deserved subvention as approved by the Parliament of St. Lucia". Senator Mangal went on to say that history has shown that the youth always wins in the court of public opinion and similar sentiments were shared by Senator Silas Wilson."
However, when contacted for comment, Senator Charlotte Tessa Mangal says her senate presentation may have been 
misinterpreted by the youth umbrella organisation.
The Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister has put her speech into context.
"Basically I dealt with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and my word of caution to the persons at that particular ministry centered on the issue of the Parliamentary approved subvention to the National Youth Council and the contention that arose sometime last year concerning that issue. The issue in question right now occurred at the National Youth Awards at which I was not present; I was not privy to any information concerning that. Generally my view is that whatever issues that arise between two parties need to be addressed in a very conciliatory manner."
As for Senator Silas Wilson, we are still awaiting on his take of the matter.