Article I wrote for the JNM/ PNP

An attractive element of the People’s National Party has been its historical commitment to youth leadership and development. Unlike other political parties in the Caribbean, the PNP presents itself as a modern learning organization. Over the years, the party has successfully fused seasoned talents with young and vibrant ones. Since the inception of this noble movement, emphasis has been placed on youth leadership and development. Such stalwarts as Glasspole, Cooke, Blake, Patterson and Simpson-Miller can credit their ascension through the ranks of the party and government, to that commitment. They were given the necessary support, encouragement and room to grow by the forward thinking organization. The party’s commitment to the nation’s young was institutionalized through the formation of the PNP Youth Organization in 1969 – two years after the PNP’s 1967 electoral defeat.

When the PNP lost in 1967, a rising star in the party – comrade PJ Patterson – was named chairman of an appraisal committee which was set up to investigate the cause of this defeat. After a meeting of this committee, comrade Patterson (realizing the importance of the youth vote) asked comrade Leroy Cooke to create a document showing how the party could be made more attractive to Jamaica’s young. After a series of meetings with the party’s leadership, the YO was launched with the blessings of comrade president Michael Manley, and attracted membership from sixth formers of several corporate area high schools.

Another important union has been that of the party and the Diaspora. Lest we forget, the New York based Jamaica Progressive League was instrumental in the founding of the PNP. In fact, the JPL was one of the earliest groups to lobby the British Government to grant Jamaica independence. The PNP’s relationship with the Jamaican Diaspora in New York was strengthened with the launch of the Jamaica National Movement in 1984. Since its inception, the JNM has been a haven for seasoned and would be comrades seeking an avenue to discuss issues of national interest. It has also been an important vehicle for balanced political discussions, and political education. Though the JNM was founded as a “voice for the PNP” in the Diaspora, its focus has been broader; catering to the needs of its members. It is not uncommon for the movement to have guest speakers discussing issues as varied as the Penn Relays, public health and crime.

Though the PNP’s relationship with the Diaspora seems (at least on the surface) to be unrelated to the commitment to the nation’s young, both relationships present significant opportunities for collaboration. It is no secret that the PNP attracts some of the brightest minds in Jamaica’s education system. Many of the students decide to study abroad for various reasons and utilizing various resources such as scholarships and loans to further their education. Traditionally, there has been a void in this area. Comrades who migrate for college have not received the level of support necessary for them to develop political awareness and growth.

The Jamaica National Movement, under its present leadership, has seen the importance of such an outlet for youth expression and participation. As a college student, significant efforts were made to solicit my input in the operations of the movement. I was asked to solicit a speaker for a meeting and educate the membership on the uses of technology such as social networks, websites and blogs. Comrades Horace Thomas (President) and Melverton Newell (Vice President) have also offered their time as mentors.

Though initial steps have been made to make the JNM “youth friendly,” greater efforts must be made at attracting more young people. Collaboration with the PNPYO would prove useful in this regard. The YO could refer migrating members to the JNM. An annual youth conference should be held by the JNM each September to introduce the movement to new potential members. The conference should be organized by the youths of the JNM. As the JNM focuses on youth development, it would be a good idea to create a leadership position—VP or Director of Youth Affairs– to reflect this commitment. This officer would be charged with ensuring that the JNM and PNP adequately utilizes the talents of its young members.

Most of these ideas will take a considerable time to implement. The JNM, as a matter of priority, should develop a document with goals and timelines to achieving the goal of representing youths in the Diaspora. Any committee set up to develop this document should involve current youth members of the organization. Simultaneously, a committee should be setup to look at how the movement can adequately utilize the various online resources it had been introduced to over the past few months. Both committees must work in collaboration, since the internet will prove an effective tool for recruiting new members; especially youths.

Though the JNM is based in New York, modern technology makes it possible for the movement to represent the needs of youths all across the United States. I would support constitutional reform to allow students (in good standing) who study out of state the option of doing work for the movement in lieu of actually attending meetings. A clause could be placed in the constitution to require said students to attend a minimum of three meetings per year (three being the estimated number of meetings possible over the summer and Christmas breaks).

That being said, the signs suggest that the JNM has been making the right steps. Through representation of the movement on Facebook, and the work of former PNPYO Vice President Venesha Phillips, the JNM has attracted the interest of a former senior member of the YO. If our brief telephone conversation is anything to go by, the JNM’s (and by extension the PNP’s) relationship with youth in the Diaspora is on the march in the right direction.