In a rare public appearance with reporters ahead of this week’s Cabinet meeting, Saint Lucia’s Economic Development and Youth Economy Minister Wayne Girard pushed back against speculation that he has been avoiding media scrutiny, while offering clarity on recent internal shakeups at the country’s Youth Economy Agency (YEA) and reaffirming the organization’s core mission to empower young Saint Lucians.
Girard, who had previously pledged to increase his public engagements with the press, addressed lingering questions about his limited visibility to date. He emphasized that his reduced public profile stemmed from a deliberate focus on advancing the priorities of his dual ministries, not a reluctance to engage with media. “It is not that I do not want to speak to reporters — I have plenty to share with the public,” he told journalists at Monday’s briefing. “I have no issues at all with being accessible to the press.”
Much of the briefing centered on the YEA, a government body designed to support youth entrepreneurship across the island. Girard confirmed that the agency remains fully operational despite a wave of high-profile staff departures over the past 12 months, including former chief executive officer Bryan Vidal and multiple other original members of the leadership team. When asked if the exits signaled a fundamental shift in the agency’s direction or core philosophy, Girard framed the changes as unplanned, circumstantial transitions rather than a deliberate restructuring. He clarified that no staff were forced out of their roles, noting that Vidal made a personal choice to leave the organization. A new permanent CEO was already appointed to take over the role earlier this month, and the agency is currently moving forward with hiring for two additional open positions: a communications specialist and a procurement officer, according to the minister.
Beyond addressing leadership changes, Girard made a forceful case for the YEA’s long-term importance to Saint Lucia’s economic and demographic future. Since its launch, the agency has disbursed more than 3,000 grants to young aspiring entrepreneurs across the country, with a new batch of applications currently under review, he said. Girard argued that the initiative is far more than a political gesture to court young voters: it is a critical policy intervention to address two of the island’s most pressing long-term challenges: an aging population and persistently low birth rates. If Saint Lucia fails to actively engage its young population in productive economic activity now, the country will face severe headwinds in the coming years, he warned. “If we do not get the situation of our young people right, we are going to be in significant trouble down the line,” he said. “This is not just politics carving out space for young people to turn their hobbies into business skills — it is a line of defense for the future of our country.”
Girard also sought to dispel rumors that grant access is tied to political affiliation, stressing that all young Saint Lucians with viable business ideas are eligible for support regardless of their political leanings. He encouraged any young person with a entrepreneurial concept to reach out to the agency directly to access available resources. “If you come to the Youth Economy Agency with a solid idea and a clear initiative, you will get the assistance you need,” he said. “This has nothing to do with politics. It is simply about recognizing how important it is to ensure every young person in our country can contribute productively to our economy.”