Delano Franklyn Calls for Consensus on National Priorities

Noted Attorney- at -Law, and Head of the Michael Manley Foundation, Delano Franklyn, has made a call for greater consensus among stakeholders around critical issues in order for Jamaica to gain developed status by the year 2030.

“To develop and have greater consensus on matters in Jamaica, we must have the different stakeholders, including the political parties signing off on some major challenges which face Jamaica, and how is it that we are going to get of it,” he argued while delivering the inaugural Robert Henriques Lecture, held on Thursday, March 29 at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).

Mr. Franklyn stressed that although many of the challenges have been addressed in the Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan, the “theory is one thing, the practice is another. We need to find a way to ensure that we have consensus building in Jamaica. Look at different areas; one is that of crime reduction. How can we get the entire country around a plan to deal with crime, and crime reduction. How can we get our country around a plan to deal with the reduction of our debt, how can we get our country around a plan, by consensus, around a plan to deal with the quality side of education in Jamaica.”

Held under the theme, “Repositioning Jamaica for 2030” the Lecture sought to expose and transit sixth form students at the 11 high schools in St. Elizabeth to the next phase of educational attainment. Mr. Franklyn told the gathering that above all, education must be the vehicle to propel the country to developed status.

He stated that students must leave secondary schools with core subjects of English, Mathematics, a science subject, a foreign language and mastery of Information Communication Technology (ICT). “They must off course, be able to possess excellent interpersonal skills, and you must have good workplace attitude,” he said, while also calling for more focus on the promotion of small business, tourism, entertainment and sports for economic growth and job creation.

The event was organised by J. Wray and Nephew through the Appleton Civic Committee, with an aim to empower young people in St. Elizabeth, and formed part of the company’s social responsibility. The Appleton Civic Committee was formed in 2008 to assist a member of the Appleton Estate family with medical expenses. Since then, its role has evolved to providing support to persons in the parish through fund-raising ventures.