Prime Minister Godwin Friday says his government’s “simple” but central goal is to ensure that young Vincentians can build successful lives and careers at home, as he pledged job creation, support for entrepreneurship, and investment in a “new economy” centred on creativity, innovation and sports.
Addressing the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) graduation ceremony, where 961 students received certificates and diplomas, Friday said encouragement alone is not enough for the country’s youth.
“Alongside that excitement, there is often another question: ‘Will there be opportunities for me?’ That is a fair question,” he told the graduates.
“My government understands that young people want more than encouragement, that you want opportunity. That is why job creation remains one of the highest priorities of our government.”
‘An economy that rewards initiative’
Friday said his administration — which came to office last November — is working to reshape the national economy so that it better absorbs the talents of young people leaving institutions such as SVGCC.
“We are working to create an economy that rewards initiative, encourages innovation, attracts investments, and creates opportunities for our people,” he said at the graduation ceremony held recently in Kingstown.
He framed this as part of a broader strategy to support youth who want to build their futures in St. Vincent and the Grenadines rather than feeling compelled to migrate.
Entrepreneurship, training and access to finance
The prime minister outlined a set of priority areas which he said are aimed at unlocking opportunities for the graduating class and their peers.
“We are supporting entrepreneurship, expanding access to education and skills training, making it more affordable, strengthening access to financing through initiatives such as our development bank that we will implement and helping to create conditions in which businesses can grow and employ more people,” Friday said.
He told graduates that the government is not only seeking to create jobs for them but also expects that many of them will become job creators themselves.
New economy: creativity, culture and sports
Friday argued that the world the graduates are entering is “very different” from that of their parents and grandparents, with information technology transforming work, communication and business.
“Many of the opportunities available to young people today did not exist a generation ago, and neither many of the challenges,” he said.
He said the government has “prioritised developing a new economy” as part of its growth strategy, one that recognises the economic value of creativity, ideas and culture.
“For many, success was often defined in narrow terms. Today, we recognise that creativity has value. We recognise that ideas have value. We recognise that culture has value,” he told the ceremony.
The creative sectors he highlighted included musicians, filmmakers, fashion designers, writers, artists, content creators, DJs, social media influencers, and other innovators whose creations have economic value.
He added that expanding opportunities for careers in sports is also a priority.
Friday suggested that the country’s next “ambassadors” may emerge less from traditional elite institutions and more from cultural and digital spaces.
‘Take the path that is less travelled’
Linking opportunity to personal choices, the prime minister told graduates they may have to depart from conventional routes to seize the openings that are emerging in the economy.
He warned that recognising opportunity often demands alertness and discernment, especially in a fast-changing environment.
“Remember, it does not come with a sign. Rather, to see it requires [an] alert mind, a ready attitude, and discernment on your part.”
Lifelong learning key to staying employable
Friday also tied the question of opportunity to lifelong learning, arguing that the graduates’ certificates mark a beginning rather than an end.
“The ability to adapt, to continue learning and to embrace new ideas will be among your greatest strengths and your challenges,” he said.
“That is why education must be lifelong, must be continued throughout, and that you should take every opportunity possible to continue to learn and to develop yourself.”