Speaking at a meeting held in Cane Garden Bay on Tuesday October 18, 2011, the 2nd District candidate said while the district has always been the base for the use of tourism, there must be other alternatives that will work hand in hand with tourism.

According to Smith, she would like to put in place a Jobs’ Initiative Programme which is an initiative that will be between the private sectors and the graduating students with a high school or college background.

“This will help them prepare for employment opportunities right after graduation. There are a multitude of factors that it entails. Mock interviews; resume building, interview tips, interview attire, presentations, computer training, confidence building skills, speech ethics, and internships,” she explained some of the details of the programme.

She believes the Jobs’ Initiative Programme will also help t bring more entrepreneurship to the 2nd district and also help youths to stay away from crime and give them new opportunities to grow.

Explaining the difference between a career and a job, Smith said she would like everyone to have a career. “… a job is mainly for short term income, a career is a commitment to your dreams in an industry you love. You will be able to outperform at your very best because you will be working in the field you are passionate about,” she explained.

Summer employment for locals studying abroad

Speaking in context of employment for Virgin Islanders, Smith charged that it is inefficient to send government employees and high school graduates abroad to learn trades and when they return there are no positions available for them.

The candidate said such actions need to be changed and one way to do so can be to allow the employees and students that have went abroad to return over the summers to test and apply what they have learned in order to make government more efficient. “With this one simple change we may be able to have a higher production rate in certain areas and more cost effective measures placed in other areas,” she said.

Smith said it is common fact that a country works better when more people are provided with the tools needed to have the ability to make the most of their lives and she believes everyone should have that chance to succeed.