PNP reveals 23-member junior shadow Cabinet

In an effort to continue re-energising the 85-year-old People’s National Party (PNP), a new junior shadow Cabinet was announced yesterday with 23 budding politicians from across the island.

While introducing the group, PNP President Mark Golding pleaded with his senior shadow Cabinet members to rally around the new generation of youth opposition leaders.

“We encourage and require there to be a synergistic relationship between our senior spokespersons and our juniors in the portfolios they are assigned, and so as to ensure there is a cohesiveness in the messaging and activities,” Golding said after announcing the new junior shadow Cabinet members at the PNP’s St Andrew headquarters.

“We think that this augurs well for our party in terms of attracting young people to the People’s National Party, as a party that cares about young people, respects young people and wants to see young people thrive and do well,” he said.

According to Golding, November 1 was selected as the time to announce the newly appointed junior spokespersons, given that it is the first day of Youth Month.

Several of the appointees are also prospective candidates at local government and central government levels.

Omar Newell is a candidate for Central St Mary and Christopher Henry is a candidate for North Central, St Andrew.

At the divisional level, Lidden Lewis is slated to represent the Frome division in Westmoreland; Jouvaughnie Byfield from the Gayle division in St Mary; Waynette Strachan from East Central, St Andrew for the Hagley Park division; Amorkhard Brown from the Livingston division in Eastern Westmoreland; Kevar Bennett from Mountainside division in South West, St Elizabeth and James Clarke from the Trafalgar division in South East St Andrew.

Golding said the appointments allow the prospective candidates the opportunity to speak on policy issues.

“We will be providing some training for the junior shadow Cabinet spokespersons and we have developed terms of reference for their activities… and they’ve also signed an agreement committing to certain things; committing to upholding the party constitution and its code of conduct, to participate in political education training sessions as provided and to adhere to the terms of reference,” Golding said.

“We put quite a bit of thought into this. It was an innovation [in] 2021 when we got started and, having gone through two years, we’ve seen where we can adjust to make it stronger and better, and we’ve been doing that,” he said.

Golding also thanked the young representatives for stepping forward, putting themselves in the spotlight and agreeing to service.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com

The PNP’s Junior Shadow Cabinet

• Reverend Paul Blake, Agriculture and Water;

• Davalle Grant, Commerce, Science and Technology;

• Rasheed Robinson, Education, Training and Competitiveness;

• Cleveland Tomlinson, Finance and Planning;

• Christopher Henry, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade;

• Schamona Robinson, Gender and Inclusion;

• Jesse James Clarke, Health and Wellness;

• Kevar Bennett, Housing and Sustainable Living;

• Dexroy Martin, Information;

• Omar Newell, Industry, Investment and Global Logistics;

• Shari-Ann Henry, Justice and Human Rights;

• Amorkhard Brown, Labour and Social Security;

• Lenroy James, Land, Environment and Climate Change;

• Waynette Strachan, Local Government and Community Development;

• Thajay Palmer, Mining and Energy;

• Jouvaughnie Byfield, National Security and Defence;

• Kemoy Perry, Public Service;

• Oshane Grant, Social Transformation and Culture;

• Olivia Rose, Sports and Entertainment;

• Oshane Hall, Tourism and Linkages;

• Odell Marsh, Transport and Works and

Lidden Lewis, Youth Development.