The National Youth Cadet Service Corps held its 7th commencement exercise today. 46 young men who underwent 10 months of preparatory training in academic and vocational skills graduated. But it's not just any graduation, this is an accomplishment, but for the programme and its recruits. Last year the programme's staff was trimmed down from a peak of over 30 employees to just over 10. But today, the exemplary group of 46 showed that they've got character, even in times of austerity.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
The 7th commencement exercise for the National Youth Cadet Service Corps proceeded as always with the traditional parade, inspection, and drill displays by the 46 young men who took part in the past 10 months of the program. While today's ceremony was enough to inspire the parents and other invited guests with the almost flawless displays, Executive Director of the Youth for the Future Linsford Castillo says this is the ceremony that almost never was.
Linsford Castillo, Executive Director - YFF
"Just one short year ago the National Youth Cadet Service Corp came to a crossroads. The issue at hand was to prove that this program was not only an important one but one that is also effective and worthy of the support of government and the public at large. Challenges ranging from identifying the right person to lead the program to recruiting the right young persons to ensure the value for money, not to mention a cadre of professional staff members are just a few of the challenges this program had to overcome.
The new National Cadet Service Corps for the first time included a residential and non-residential component with an initial intake of almost 70 cadets headed by a staff of 11 members and four officers from the Belize Defense Force Volunteer Corp. This is a considerable reduction in staff which at one point had a total of 31 staff members with about 35 cadets. In effect we have been able to do much more with much less."
And Castillo's proof is in the 46 young men who were front and center. Among them 30 will be returning for the second phase of the program, 11 will be joining the BDF, 11 will be going to the TVET program and two will be going to high school. Franklin Murillo will be moving on to St. John's College.
Franklin Murillo, Graduate
"When we got there we didn't like the area and how the institution was. They had the BDF and we weren't really pleased with the BDF because we didn't
want to feel like we were in an army. So we talked to them and got used to them. All of them turned out to be straight. We just moved on and we got used to everything so after a while we started to learn that they weren't just here to boss us around, they were here to help we to look forward in life.
They asked me what I wanted and said I wanted to be back in college. I am tired of the streets because the street doesn't have anything to give me, none at all. You get into trouble and end up at hospital dead or something so me and a few of those boys out here we got in and we felt better right there, safe.
They say I am back into school so I feel better now than being on the street because I didn't like school, I had stopped school."
Alfonso Noble,
Which school will you be going to?
Franklin Murillo,
"Johns, St. John's College. I will try and finish up from where I loosed out on. People won't be able to tell me what they want, people who have education and try to bring you down. So now I am getting my one right now too."
Graduate #2.
"I feel good now because nothing is on the streets. The only thing on the streets is to get rob and dead or end up at hospital. Only that is on streets right now. Nothing is on the street right now. No kind of money is being made. Everything is hard out here right now. We can't make a little dollar right now."
And it is because of those seemingly hopeless conditions that these young men are going to be heading into, that Minister of Youth and Sports Cordel Hyde gave them one final challenge.
Hon. Cordel Hyde, Minister of Sports
"Cadets you are young guys, don't let this be your last graduation. Get back into school. Go to CET. Go to high school, to evening classes. We need you to succeed. When you succeed, we succeed and when you fail we all fail."
The National Youth Cadet Service Corps will be holding recruitment drives throughout the country beginning September 29th. Application forms can be obtained from the Youth for the Future office.
