In a decisive electoral process during the 18th Biennial General Assembly held in Soufrière, Bernell St Rose has been elected President of the Saint Lucia National Youth Council (NYC). This gathering united delegates from registered youth and sports clubs, district councils, and student councils nationwide, aiming to establish a leadership team capable of addressing the mounting social, economic, and developmental issues confronting the island’s youth.
St Rose will helm the council’s executive body, which includes First Vice President Dequan Charles and Second Vice President Edisa Eugene. The administrative framework was solidified with the election of Alrica Antoine as General Secretary, supported by Marcus Giraudy as Assistant Secretary. Phoebe Smith assumes the role of Public Relations Officer, while Nazan Hutchinson was appointed Treasurer.
In post-election remarks to St Lucia Times, President St Rose emphasized that her primary objective is to rehabilitate the council’s credibility. “My key mandate is to rebuild and bring back the trust of the NYC as a uniform and credible institution,” she stated, highlighting intentions to reform the council’s structure, including district youth and sports councils, national student councils, and club affiliates. St Rose aims to restore public confidence and pride in the organization.
The newly inaugurated leadership team now bears the responsibility of enhancing youth representation and engagement across Saint Lucia. This comes amid rising expectations for the council to assume a more dynamic and influential role in the nation’s developmental trajectory, particularly in crafting solutions for youth-specific challenges.