Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 18/Jan 03:15

Young: Students should have faith in their destiny

Energy and Energy Industries Minister Stuart Young encouraged students of Port of Spain schools to have faith in their destiny as he gave the feature address at the Youth Mobilisation Foundation’s Navigating Growth and Opportunities expo at the National Academy for the Performing Arts on January 17. Speaking to students of at least ten Port of Spain schools, Young said when he was growing up, he never thought he would be where he is now. He told the students not to let anyone restrain their vision. “You are at a point in life now where you are going to take decisions and steps that are going to formulate where you end up. "In kindergarten, I wanted to be a fireman, then when I went to secondary school, I wanted to be a priest, of all things. Maybe it didn’t last long, but then I thought, what about an accountant? Then I was told, well, what you should do is aim to go to university. “By then, I used to debate and argue about everything, so it seemed like I’ll do law. I wasn’t too good at math either. I ended up doing law. "In that journey, there were times when I said, ‘I don’t want to do this, you know, I want to go home,’ because I was homesick. "I stuck it out, got my law degree and became a lawyer. I was happy going along in life practising law and building a career.” He said he always thought his trajectory in life was to become a judge, but then received a call in 2014. “Look where I am today, ten years later. I never thought I would be standing here in the role I have as a minister, and then what is coming." Young is expected to become prime minister when Dr Keith Rowley steps down in the near future. "So my message to you is that it is real to have boundless faith in your destiny. "You have an opportunity now that we never had, because we never had the internet or fairs like this. The world changes rapidly, so don’t constrain your minds. One thing you can be sure of is that very soon, you will be standing where I am and it will be you taking our country forward.” Drawing on another line of the national anthem, he asked students to look to their left, right, in front of and behind them. “You have just witnessed something that is great about TT and something we should never take for granted, and that is the part of the national anthem that says every creed and race find an equal place. You are the young people who are on the brink of something great that is going to take place in Trinidad and Tobago that is going to carry us forward and build a momentum for your future. “Never forget that every creed and race find an equal place, because that is one of the beautiful things about TT, when we see beyond those concepts and see our brothers and sisters and as I look around and see the schools, I remember how it was when you helped each other, and you pushed each other, and you didn’t see those concepts.” Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the ministry was focused on implementing a cultural transformation policy. “We want to have our students to have, along with the academic preparation, progressive values, teachings and behaviours, so when you become adults and take your place in the workforce, you will be carrying out our national developmental agenda, Vision 2030.” She said career fairs and career guidance were important because while school was challenging, such events helped show students the outcome they were working toward. [caption id="attachment_1133434" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Centre for Language Learning visiting foreign lecturer Jianrong Lu teaches tai chi to Woodbrook Secondary School students Sara Carimbocas, left, and Cianna Peters during the expo.[/caption] “If someone talks to you and shows you a career that you realise you can do and because you have ambition and a goal, it will be a little easier to go through the challenges of school. You are better able to take the challenges, stress and frustration and the group projects that never turn out to be a group project and one person does it all. “What are you doing all this for? That is what you have to have clear in your mind, and career fairs help with that because they help you see where you can be in the future.” Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland told the students they should not let anyone set boundaries for them. “You tell yourself where you want to be and work toward that. Don’t let anyone tell you where you can be. You determine your destiny, you chart your destiny and you will achieve your destiny. Don’t let anyone limit your potential. But, have fun, enjoy yourselves while reaching for your potential.” Port of Spain mayor Chinua Alleyne said he would never have thought he would be in the position he is now. He told the students to take advantage of the opportunity they were being given through the career event. After the opening ceremony, Young, Gadsby-Dolly and Scotland took photos with the schools and selfies with students who asked. They were very interactive with the students before, during and after the ceremony.   The post Young: Students should have faith in their destiny appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.