Women and young workers should be represented at the executive level of organisations, announced a representative from the Caribbean Public Service Association (CPSA). In aid of that goal two Caribbean Public Service forums were held in Bermuda earlier this week.

"I think really and truly when we look at the shape and contours of our society, these two groups (women and young people) are important not only in terms of size but value," said Sandra Massiah, the subregional secretary for the CPSA.

According to Ms Massiah, the aim of the Young Workers' Forum and Women's PSI Forum is to change the face of organisations, so that the head of the roundtable represents the body. They also intend to have 50 percent of women and 30 percent of young workers representing the public services.

The young workers spent their two-day forum preparing to become the leaders of tomorrow, explained local representative, 32-year-old Bromwin Thompson.

"As youth workers we are the future of tomorrow and we based our agenda around becoming great leaders. We based our agenda around going back to the basics, succession planning and developing industry skills.

"We found that it takes a lot of passion and dedication to fulfil our destiny," he added.

The forums took place in conjunction with the 37th annual CPSA Conference, which started on Monday (July 23) at the Hamilton Princess.

Armell Thomas, president of Bermuda Public Service Union explained that the aim of the CPSA is to strengthen and unite the 18 Caribbean affiliates so they can work together to achieve economic and social transformation.

"So what we basically want to do is improve the quality of public service. If we improve the quality that will not only help poverty, that will also help people dependent and reliant on Social Services.

"The young workers are a big part of that because eventually they will take over. Women are also a big part of the conference because we look at gender as 50/50," he said.

Ann Stubbs, the secretary of the Women's Committee, said the women's forum went "very well", adding that: " We were able to discuss important things affecting women throughout the Caribbean". The women were able to discus issues such as single-parent homes and affordable child care, but most importantly the voices of women could be heard.

At the youth forum, there were 14 young people from six different countries, including representative from Guyana, Jermain Hermanstyne, 32. Mr. Hermanstyne is currently serving as secretary of the CPSA and said: " I was elected by my fellow youth workers and since then until now I have been looking at issues regionally and on a global perspective that are affecting young workers."

One of their concerns is getting more Caribbean graduates to work on the home front rather than search for jobs elsewhere, he said.