CARICOM Youth Ambassadors St Kitts: Perreira and Telemaque Appointed

CARICOM Youth Ambassadors St Kitts have a new voice: the Department of Youth Empowerment in Basseterre has appointed Ms Patrina Perreira and Mr Ewin Telemaque as the new CARICOM Youth Ambassadors for St Kitts and Nevis.

The announcement was made on 15 October 2026. The two ambassadors will represent the interests and perspectives of young people in St Kitts and Nevis, promote regional integration, and encourage greater youth participation in national and regional development.

What the new CARICOM Youth Ambassadors St Kitts will do

According to the Department of Youth Empowerment, the ambassadors are expected to engage young people on the issues affecting their lives and to promote awareness of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

They will also contribute to initiatives that strengthen youth involvement in regional affairs, working through advocacy, community engagement and collaboration with youth organisations.

The Department congratulated both appointees and said their roles are an opportunity to strengthen youth leadership, foster regional cooperation, and ensure that the perspectives of young people in St Kitts and Nevis are represented within the wider CARICOM community.

How the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme works

The CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme gives young people a platform to speak for Caribbean youth and to take part in regional life. Ambassadors act as a bridge between young people in their home country and the wider Caribbean Community.

The programme sits within the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Corps. The CARICOM Secretariat announced on 2 September 2026 that Janet Simon of Antigua and Barbuda had been appointed Dean of the Corps, effective 1 September 2026, with youth well-being and employment among her stated priorities.

That structure matters because Caribbean youth are not only the generation that will live with climate decisions — they are already organising in their communities, and ambassador programmes are one of the formal channels through which their views reach regional decision-makers.

Why this appointment matters weeks before COP31

The appointments come weeks before COP31, the UN climate conference due to take place in Antalya from 9 to 20 November 2026, where youth participation is a central theme of the negotiations.

Small island states in the Caribbean are on the front line of sea-level rise and stronger storms, so the question of who speaks for young people in regional affairs is also a climate question — even though the ambassadors’ mandate covers youth issues broadly, not climate policy alone.

For readers following Watan News International’s climate coverage, this story is part of a wider pattern: youth ambassador programmes across regions are becoming a recognised route for young people into climate and development debates. Related coverage can be found in our earlier story about Mediterranean climate ambassadors: DesirMED seeks 100 climate ambassadors to share Mediterranean adaptation stories.

FAKTA

• Who: Ms Patrina Perreira and Mr Ewin Telemaque, new CARICOM Youth Ambassadors for St Kitts and Nevis.
• Announced: 15 October 2026, Basseterre, by the Department of Youth Empowerment.
• Programme: CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme — a platform for young people to represent Caribbean youth, promote regional integration and encourage youth participation.
• Role: Engage young people on issues affecting their lives, promote awareness of CARICOM, and strengthen youth involvement through advocacy and community engagement.
• Context: CARICOM Youth Ambassador Corps Dean Janet Simon of Antigua and Barbuda took up her role on 1 September 2026; COP31 follows in Antalya on 9–20 November 2026.

Conclusion

Perreira and Telemaque now carry the responsibility of making sure young voices from St Kitts and Nevis are heard across the Caribbean — at a moment when the region’s young people have more at stake in climate and development decisions than ever before.

Frequently asked questions

What is the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme?

It is a programme that gives young people a platform to represent the interests and perspectives of Caribbean youth, promote regional integration, and encourage greater youth participation in national and regional development.

Who are the new CARICOM Youth Ambassadors for St Kitts and Nevis?

Ms Patrina Perreira and Mr Ewin Telemaque, appointed by the Department of Youth Empowerment and announced on 15 October 2026.

What will the new ambassadors do?

They will engage young people on issues affecting their lives, promote awareness of CARICOM, and contribute to initiatives that strengthen youth involvement in regional affairs through advocacy, community engagement and collaboration with youth organisations.

How does this connect to climate decisions?

The ambassadors’ mandate covers youth issues broadly, not climate policy alone. But Caribbean small island states face serious climate risks, and youth ambassador programmes are a formal channel through which young people’s views reach regional decision-makers ahead of major climate meetings such as COP31 in Antalya on 9–20 November 2026.

How can young people in St Kitts and Nevis get involved?

The programme works through community engagement and collaboration with youth organisations, and the Department of Youth Empowerment leads the national appointments — young people can follow the Department’s announcements for future opportunities.