The Minister, Permanent Secretary and staff of the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service (MYDNS) extend deepest condolences to Dr. Madgerie Jameson-Charles, family and friends of Dr. Henry Charles, Youth Development Practitioner and Lecturer at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.
“Dr. Charles was a central pillar in supporting the work of the Youth Affairs Division, and by extension the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service, until his sudden passing. This news comes as a great shock as he was closely working with the Ministry for the Re-Engineering of the National Youth Council of Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Henry was very affable, always amenable and endlessly supportive. He held deep knowledge of Youth Development, not only here in Trinidad and Tobago; but understood youth work across the Commonwealth. We have indeed lost a luminary in the Youth Development Sector,” articulated the Honourable Foster Cummings, Minister of Youth Development and National Service.
Dr. Henry Charles was a respected Youth and Policy Development Specialist. His experience spanned the areas of Youth Development, Policy, Strategy and Academia. Dr. Charles was also the main contributor to the National Youth Policy of Trinidad and Tobago 2020-2025. He also held several posts in the Youth Development Sector including: Regional Director, Commonwealth Secretariat; Senior Programme Specialist – Child Resilience, UNICEF; Member of the Caribbean Development Bank’s Youth Policy and Operational Strategy Reference Group and was serving as Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Secretariat Year of Youth 2023. He also authored several publications, technical reports and papers on a wide range of topics including Youth Empowerment; Youth Participation and Youth Development Policy and Practice. Dr. Charles will be remembered by staff of the MYDNS for being very approachable and always ready with a joke or laugh.
The MYDNS acknowledges the contributions made by Dr. Henry to Youth Development Sector and extends sincere condolences to his family and friends at this time. May he rest in peace.