Youth Involvement Encouraged in Transition to Republic

Youth involvement is being encouraged in Jamaica’s transition from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic as part of the Government’s mandate to make the transition a public process.

To facilitate this, several secondary schools were invited to participate in this year’s annual Heritage Month lecture, held on October 31. The virtual event was hosted by the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) National Museum Jamaica.

Held under the theme ‘Road to Republic’, the lecture provided secondary-school students with a platform to discuss the implications of Jamaica becoming a Republic.

It also served to provide students with information on the Constitutional changes that will occur once Jamaica cuts ties with the British Monarchy.

Member of the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC), Laleta Davis-Mattis, who was the facilitator of the interactive session, presented on the approaches and considerations to be taken as the country moves forward to becoming a Republic.

Another member of the CRC, Sujae Boswell, said youth have the potential to create meaningful changes across the country.

“When opportunities like this are presented, it is an opportunity for [youth] to learn, to raise their awareness, as well as to bring about positive changes in our country,” he said.

Noting that young people have an important role to play in the process, he urged the gathering to glean as much information as possible about the transition process and to make their voices count.

“You have a role to play in the process… . Whatever decision is made as we move forward is a decision that our lifetime as young people we will have to live with,” Mr. Boswell said.

The CRC was formed to facilitate the transition.

Its purpose is to provide expert guidance and oversight to the Government and people of Jamaica during the Constitutional reform process and to implement recommendations on which consensus has been reached.

The CRC has also given support to the establishment of a youth subcommittee, which is to be comprised of youth across the country.