Dear Editor,
A general election will be held soon and many commentators are bemoaning the apathetic nature of the younger generation. The argument is that young people are not interested in politics because both parties do not seem to cater to their needs. However, the reality is that political parties will take young people seriously when they begin to organise themselves and lobby for meaningful change.
Groups like the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association are listened to because they have clear positions on issues ranging from trade to tax reform. Therefore, it ought not to have been surprising when, in 2014, Dr Phillips made changes to the General Consumption Tax Act (Amendments ) at the behest of corporate Jamaica.
Youth leaders will not be taken seriously if they vaguely claim that ‘youth issues’ are important. With the exception of financing for tertiary education, youth leaders have been silent on a range of issues affecting the economy. For example, we don’t know how young people feel about the economic reform programme or Jamaica’s standing in Caricom.
The reality is that there is no such thing as a ‘youth issue’; there are only structural issues that disproportionately affect young people. An economy in need of reform will have a more negative effect on young people, because less jobs are being created and entrepreneurs are less inclined to hire younger people with little experience. So youth unemployment is really a symptom of a maladjusted economy.
Youth leaders must begin to inspire Jamaicans by lobbying for solutions to national problems instead of reiterating the problem. For example, university students could be doing more to improve the production of knowledge in Jamaica and creating employment opportunities if given the right resources. The need for grants to improve the quality of infrastructure and research at local universities is a policy that should be lobbied for by youth organisations. They should reject the argument that there are no funds for such a programme.
We need to get our priorities right as a country. Why should money be wasted on unsustainanable programmes like the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme at the expense of science and technology? Young people must wake up and organise themselves if they want to be taken seriously, because they alone can secure a better Jamaica for future generations.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
A general election will be held soon and many commentators are bemoaning the apathetic nature of the younger generation. The argument is that young people are not interested in politics because both parties do not seem to cater to their needs. However, the reality is that political parties will take young people seriously when they begin to organise themselves and lobby for meaningful change.
Groups like the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association are listened to because they have clear positions on issues ranging from trade to tax reform. Therefore, it ought not to have been surprising when, in 2014, Dr Phillips made changes to the General Consumption Tax Act (Amendments ) at the behest of corporate Jamaica.
Youth leaders will not be taken seriously if they vaguely claim that ‘youth issues’ are important. With the exception of financing for tertiary education, youth leaders have been silent on a range of issues affecting the economy. For example, we don’t know how young people feel about the economic reform programme or Jamaica’s standing in Caricom.
The reality is that there is no such thing as a ‘youth issue’; there are only structural issues that disproportionately affect young people. An economy in need of reform will have a more negative effect on young people, because less jobs are being created and entrepreneurs are less inclined to hire younger people with little experience. So youth unemployment is really a symptom of a maladjusted economy.
Youth leaders must begin to inspire Jamaicans by lobbying for solutions to national problems instead of reiterating the problem. For example, university students could be doing more to improve the production of knowledge in Jamaica and creating employment opportunities if given the right resources. The need for grants to improve the quality of infrastructure and research at local universities is a policy that should be lobbied for by youth organisations. They should reject the argument that there are no funds for such a programme.
We need to get our priorities right as a country. Why should money be wasted on unsustainanable programmes like the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme at the expense of science and technology? Young people must wake up and organise themselves if they want to be taken seriously, because they alone can secure a better Jamaica for future generations.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com