Kareem Marcelle to Phillip Watts: \u2018Get Off Your Chair and Actually Do Some Work\u2019<\/p>\n
Laventille West MP Kareem Marcelle has launched a scathing attack on Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Phillip Watts, telling the minister to \u201cget off your chair\u201d and accusing him of failing to deliver sufficiently for young people across Trinidad and Tobago.<\/p>\n
Marcelle made the remarks during an Opposition media briefing as he addressed youth development and the status of several programmes, including the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), MiLAT and youth development initiatives.<\/p>\n
His comments came as he reflected on International Youth Day and argued that young people need tangible opportunities rather than messages and statements commemorating the occasion.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhillip Watts, get off your chair and actually do some work for our young people,\u201d Marcelle said.<\/p>\n
## Marcelle Targets Watts<\/p>\n
Marcelle accused Watts of failing to demonstrate sufficient progress in the youth affairs component of his portfolio since the current administration assumed office.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the briefing, the Laventille West MP described Watts as the \u201cminister of silence\u201d and accused him of failing to launch a major new initiative specifically aimed at young people.<\/p>\n
Marcelle’s descriptions of Watts were political criticisms and not independent assessments of the minister’s performance.<\/p>\n
The Opposition MP also alleged that youth development officers had been affected by the non-renewal of contracts and raised concerns about the operation of youth camps.<\/p>\n
He argued that those developments were occurring at a time when young people, particularly those from vulnerable communities, require greater access to training, mentorship and employment opportunities.<\/p>\n
## CCC Delay Raised Again<\/p>\n
A significant part of Marcelle’s criticism concerned the Civilian Conservation Corps.<\/p>\n
Marcelle said approximately 2,500 young people had applied for a previous CCC intake, with around 1,000 approved following the vetting process.<\/p>\n
He said many applicants were seeking technical and vocational opportunities in areas such as plumbing, electrical work, hairdressing and barbering.<\/p>\n
Marcelle also revisited previous statements by Defence Minister Wayne Sturge concerning the programme.<\/p>\n
According to Marcelle, Sturge had indicated in 2025 that another CCC intake was carded for January 2026.<\/p>\n
Marcelle questioned why the intake had not materialised months after that timeline and called on the administration to provide answers on when the programme would restart.<\/p>\n
## Youth Programmes and Crime<\/p>\n
Marcelle also argued that uncertainty surrounding youth programmes should be considered in the context of Trinidad and Tobago’s wider crime problem.<\/p>\n
He said programmes offering technical and vocational skills can serve a preventative function by giving vulnerable young people structure, qualifications and pathways towards employment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is also a preventative measure to crime fighting,\u201d Marcelle said.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that it may be difficult to measure precisely how many young people avoid criminal activity because of intervention programmes, but maintained that participants can emerge as more productive citizens with viable careers.<\/p>\n
## Praise for Michelle Benjamin<\/p>\n
While sharply criticising Watts, Marcelle offered a contrasting assessment of Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would admit that Michelle Benjamin has been trying,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Marcelle suggested that Benjamin was carrying responsibilities which, in his view, should receive greater attention from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs.<\/p>\n
## \u2018Give Young People Priority\u2019<\/p>\n
Marcelle ultimately called on the Government to make youth development a greater priority and to provide clear information on the future of programmes targeting young people.<\/p>\n
He also raised the Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme, claiming some participants who completed training were still awaiting access to land and starter homes.<\/p>\n
The Laventille West MP argued that International Youth Day should be accompanied by concrete action and functioning programmes rather than commemorative statements alone.<\/p>\n
His message to Watts was particularly direct: get off his chair, Marcelle said, and \u201cactually do some work for our young people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watts’ response to Marcelle’s criticisms was not contained in the material presented at the Opposition briefing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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