Robust Discussion by Youth Parliamentarians

Approximately 70 young people participated in Monday’s (November 28) sitting of the National Youth Parliament at Gordon House, which was held in the face-to-face format for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica in 2020.

The youngsters, representing the 63 constituencies, engaged in robust discussion on a range of issues, including affordable housing and finance, financial literacy, youth psychological wellbeing, and parenting and education.

The event’s 13th staging was held under the theme: ‘REIGNITED: Empowering Youth for Jamaica 60 and Beyond’.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Sherika Cheeke-Perkins, who spoke on affordable housing and finance, emphasised the need to embrace modern and innovative construction methods to address the demand for more affordable shelter.

“It’s time for new and affordable solutions. We must begin, as a country, to implement methods of housing construction, with well-designed and treated inter-modal container homes. These are cost effective, durable and can be retrofitted to suit the needs of our low to middle income earners,” she noted.

For his part, Opposition Spokesperson on Health and Wellness and Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth South West, Kevar Bennett, argued that squatters have a right to safe and decent habitation, noting that the government’s role is to enable the attainment of this fundamental entitlement, by providing affordable housing.

“It is precisely for this reason that the Youth Parliament of Jamaica is urging the Government to extend a five-year amnesty, during which squatters may have their habitation formalised and regularised. This amnesty would contain measures to address informal settlements on all Crown lands,” Mr. Bennett said.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, said the annual Youth Parliamentary sittings enable young people to develop a better appreciation of good governance and the skills required for sound debate in the legislative process.

“This programme offers you an opportunity to experience, in a real way, beyond television images… the functioning of one of the country’s key institutions, which underpin democracy and good governance,” she said.

Guided by the Parliamentary Oversight Committee of the Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica (YACJ), youth parliamentarians were placed in constituencies and encouraged to work collaboratively to undertake projects within their counties.

“A project proposal guide was developed and shared to assist in this regard. Project proposals were submitted to the YACJ and Ministry for review and approval,” Mrs. Williams said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Marisa Dalrymple Philibert, in her address, said the Youth Parliament is a testament to the shared commitment of the Parliament and the Education Ministry to empower young people and, specifically, to equip them for leadership.

The National Youth Parliament was established in November 2003 as a non-partisan initiative, aimed at providing young people from across Jamaica with a forum to express their views, network and debate issues of concern in the House of Representatives.