Henry says the traditional use of corporal punishment does not have the intended effects on children. As the future of Saint Lucia, he adds, children need to be nurtured by parents to lead the country.

“The children are our future - good or bad, but we want a good future. So we need to invest in our children. We must learn new things and we must unlearn certain things. We are abusing our children too much, hands down. We need to unlearn that. We must learn to love our children a lot more,” Henry told the media prior to the commencement of parliament on November 21st, 2023.

The Minister says society must practice depositing good qualities within children to reap positive results. “We need to pay a lot more attention to how we manage our children if we want a better future for them. They will be there and like ATMs, what you deposit is what you’re going to withdraw. If we want a better future, we need to deposit into our children good things,” Henry explained.

The Minister adds that motivating the youth should not be left solely to those involved in youth work. He clarifies that everyone in society needs to do their part.

“If we can unlock their potential, we can accomplish a lot more. Young people are amazing and my intention personally will try to provide the youth in my constituency the opportunity to unlock their potential.”

International Children’s Day is celebrated on November 20, 2023 annually.