KSAMC Youth Council Members Encouraged To Take Roles Seriously

Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, is encouraging members of the newly elected Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) Youth Council to learn all they can about the local governance structure and to take their roles seriously.

“I am imploring them to take an active role in local governance, that they carefully think through the issues and that they will come up with projects that will serve the interests of our residents,” he said.

The Mayor was speaking to JIS News following the introduction of the newly elected KSAMC Junior Council representatives, led by Junior Mayor Jean-Claude Walters Dunn, during Tuesday’s (November 12) meeting of the municipal corporation.

The Youth Council concept is part of activities by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to mark Local Government Month and is hosted by municipal authorities for one year.

The programme provides an avenue for young people to play their part in the transformation of their communities and educate citizens about the importance of local government.

At the launch of Local Government Month on November 4, it was announced that the Local Government Ministry will grant Junior Mayors across the country $750,000 to undertake special community development initiatives.

Mayor Williams said that the KSAMC is committed to providing financial and technical expertise to enable the Council’s youth representatives to execute their projects.

He noted that young persons have a key role to play in finding the solutions to the challenges facing Kingston and other cities across the Caribbean.

“We have to develop a generation of young people who are thinkers, who are problem-solvers and who are nurturing the imaginative faculties within them,” he said.

Mayor Williams advised that a youth council session will be held on Thursday (November 14) at 10:00 a.m.