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Annakay Hudson – Junior Mayor and Budding Youth Leader

By: , November 20, 2017

The Key Point:

Recently appointed Junior Mayor for the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), 18-year-old Annakay Hudson, is on a mission to not only contribute to the capital city’s development but also create opportunities for unattached youth.
Annakay Hudson – Junior Mayor and Budding Youth Leader
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Kingston and St. Andrew Junior Mayor, Annakay Hudson.

The Facts

  • A resident of downtown Kingston and an upper-sixth-form student of Campion College, Annakay was selected by her peers from a group of 35 youth councilors across Kingston and St. Andrew to serve as Junior Mayor.
  • “We can impart skills to them so we can have young people being integral in society, because we (the youth) are the future. So I’m very elated. I’m very excited for this opportunity to make a difference and make a change (by being) involved in local government and the ‘runnings’ of the country, and specifically the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation,” the Junior Mayor tells JIS News.

The Full Story

Recently appointed Junior Mayor for the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), 18-year-old Annakay Hudson, is on a mission to not only contribute to the capital city’s development but also create opportunities for unattached youth.

A resident of downtown Kingston and an upper-sixth-form student of Campion College, Annakay was selected by her peers from a group of 35 youth councilors across Kingston and St. Andrew to serve as Junior Mayor.

She tells JIS News that a primary objective of her tenure is to assist vulnerable Jamaican youth.

One of the ways in which she is seeking to do so is through the establishment of a community centre in a marginalised community. She contends that this will provide a venue where young persons can be mentored by their elders, as well as facilitate engagements tailored to offer educational value-added activities, and be a catalyst for community participation through projects and other interactive group activities.

“We can impart skills to them so we can have young people being integral in society, because we (the youth) are the future. So I’m very elated. I’m very excited for this opportunity to make a difference and make a change (by being) involved in local government and the ‘runnings’ of the country, and specifically the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation,” the Junior Mayor tells JIS News.

Annakay informs that during her campaign for election, she highlighted the fact that she is a resident of downtown Kingston who is very aware and connected to the issues that persons, especially youth, experience across the Corporate Area.

“I’ve seen it all. I live in Kingston Gardens. It’s not really violent there, but sometimes walking through the neighbouring (communities) you can encounter violence. I have a fear of violence. I’ve seen and spoken to people who are unemployed, who (portray a) gangster (image), who (others) don’t want to deal with. Domestic violence is something that troubles me very deeply when I see it occurring,” she notes.

Although passionate about Kingston and St. Andrew, Annakay is originally from St. Ann’s Bay.

She attended St. Ann’s Bay Preparatory School, and, while there, had determined that she wanted to migrate to Kingston and attend Campion College as one of her close friends had done.

To this end, Annakay focused on passing the Grade Six Achievement Test, scoring enough marks to be granted a place at the institution.

“I left St. Ann’s Bay to come to Kingston because I had a God-sister who passed for Campion College. I saw that it was a good school and I wanted to attend an institution that could foster my academic growth and development. I, therefore, took the opportunity to come all the way to Kingston to ensure that I got the best education possible. So, my grandparents took me in, and that is how I came to live in downtown Kingston,” she recounts.

Six years later, Annakay has attained Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) passes in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and Spanish, all with distinctions.

At the unit one Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level, Annakay passed Biology, Chemistry, Communication Studies and Economics with grades one, and Physics with a grade three.

Annakay was initially intent on becoming a medical doctor. But having been exposed to the operations in local government, she tells JIS News that she believes she wants to engage in multiple jobs.

“I believe that I will have a career in local government after Campion College, because having been introduced to what takes place at the KSAMC, I realise how important it is to the life of citizens and how I, as an individual, can help to push Jamaica to become the Pearl of the Antilles, as suggested by our Mayor (Senator Councillor Delroy Williams),” she states.

Annakay is quick to point out that she still plans to pursue medicine after leaving Campion College next year, preferably at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus in St. Andrew.

She offers words of encouragement to other young people, especially those who may be at the proverbial cross roads in their lives.

“Wherever you are (and) whatever the situation is that you are now living in, know that there is a way out of it; and once you get out, make sure that you don’t turn your back on your community.

Make sure that once you get out there, and you now have a voice, you ensure that your community is cared for in any way that you can, if it’s even by putting in a community centre, by fixing one road or sending one child from that community to school.

“Make sure that once you achieve something, you ensure that people who you have left behind are also able to achieve, based on your achievements,” the Junior Mayor exhorts.

In addition to Annakay’s appointment, Kingston College’s Chad Rattray was appointed Deputy Junior Mayor; Hillel Academy’s Matthew Fulton – Junior Chief Executive Officer; St. George’s College’s Matthew McHayle – Junior Council Orderly; and St. Andrew High School for Girls’ Ashley Bradey – Junior Chaplain.

The appointment of these youth is in keeping with activities marking Local Government Month during November.

The KSAMC will host a Junior Council meeting, during which the youngsters will get the opportunity to table resolutions they believe can help to improve the standard of living across Kingston and St. Andrew.

Last Updated: November 20, 2017

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