Browne Calls for Compassion for Young Vulnerable Youth

Prime Minister Gaston Browne says his own family’s history has shaped his belief that no one should be written off, no matter how difficult their circumstances.

Speaking on his weekly Browne and Browne radio show, the prime minister reflected on how his mother and her brother “fell through the cracks” after losing their mother at a young age.

Despite coming from a middle-class background and receiving a good education in Trinidad, both struggled without adequate support from their father. Browne said that painful experience taught him one lesson that still guides him today: “Never turn your back on loved ones.”

That philosophy, he argued, extends beyond family to society at large — especially when it comes to young people branded as “troubled” or “hopeless.” Browne rejected that thinking outright, calling it “backward.”

To make his point, he shared the story of a young man once involved in gangs who is now thriving thanks to training opportunities provided by the Department of the Environment. Youth enrolled in the programme are learning practical skills like shutter installation and air-conditioning repair a pathway the prime minister says is helping them reintegrate into society.

One mother, he recalled, was so grateful for the turnaround in her son’s life that she came to Point FM to thank him personally.

Browne also used the broadcast to highlight the damaging impact of stigma, particularly against teenage mothers. He recalled one case where a girl, forced out of school after becoming pregnant, was humiliated instead of supported. Relatives even pressured her to terminate the pregnancy, but with her father’s “unconditional love,” she was able to persevere.

“These are the stories that remind us why compassion matters,” Browne said. “With the right support, people can rebuild and go on to achieve great things.”

For Browne, the message is clear: whether through family, community, or government, no citizen should be abandoned when they stumble.