Looking back, Looking forward | Legacy created for future junior councils

My one-year tenure as the Youth Mayor of Kingston has been an eventful and rewarding experience. I have strengthened my skills as a leader and speaker, and I have gained knowledge on the importance of local government and the procedures associated with effective city management, as well as a strong spirit towards volunteerism.

The vision of Mayor Delroy Williams to make Kingston the Pearl of the Antilles, is a vision I also share, and is embodied by the involvement of youth within the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC). As youth mayor, I was given the opportunity to speak at almost every event and it was an honour to be seen as a voice for youth.The relationship between senior council and junior council was exceptional as we often met to share and discuss ideas and to be made aware of what was taking place in the city.

Each year, the KSAMC, during the period of Local Government Month, invites students from various schools across the municipality to participate in a local government youth forum. From this cohort, students nominate among themselves a youth mayor, deputy youth mayor, youth chief executive officer (town clerk) as well as other youth positions reflecting administrative heads existing within the KSAMC.

Throughout the year, the Junior Council of 2017-2018 has created a legacy, and a stable foundation is in place for junior councils of the future.

Those who served as junior councillors last year, who are no longer in high school, such as myself, have not been lost in the wind. We currently serve as advisers to the new junior council and are assigned to various projects being undertaken by the KSAMC, namely Flag Circle, Ward Theatre, the Kingston Waterfront, Louise Bennett Square, among others.

We were able to assist them in having a smooth transition into council and facilitated discussions on what our year was like, and their roles as junior councillors, drafting of resolutions, selection and coordination of committees which we established for the effective management of the council. These are project management, public relations, fundraising and finance and the newly added inspector of poor. The new cohort of junior councillors are equipped with social-media pages on Instagram and Twitter and are able to hit the ground running in regard to their presence on social media.

The year was filled with achievements.

First, we participated in the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony where, as youth mayor, I was required to give remarks. For many of the councillors it was an exciting experience as we met and mingled with residents of downtown Kingston in a way that many persons had never been exposed to.

The first-ever Caribbean Conference of Mayors, under the patronage of Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams, was a major function which junior councillors attended and had the opportunity to meet mayors from neighbouring Caribbean countries and listened to discussions on issues common among Caribbean nations.

During Child Month, we hosted the Child Month Service, which was held at the intersection of Church and Tower streets.

Junior councillors sang and spoke and offered floral tributes to Jamaica's children who have lost their lives in violent or tragic circumstances. This was of importance as we were able to lead an event which remembers those who have been lost, while making it clear that the youth are against these acts of violence.

Our primary achievement has been our Labour Day project, the Flag Circle at the Breezy Castle roundabout in downtown Kingston. The space has been transformed and continues to be modified into a recreational space where young people of Kingston and St Andrew can relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. It is equipped with a 200m track suited for running, jogging and cycling. Soaring high on the premises are the Jamaican flag and the City of Kingston flag. The Welcome to Downtown sign is also positioned to greet visitors arriving from the Norman Manley International Airport. It is also a space that will become the home to entertainment in the near future.

It was an experience that afforded me many opportunities. From being a dominant youth leader, to representing Jamaica at a Safety and Security Strategies Conference in China, and the opportunity to be invited as a motivational speaker on children's home visits with Girls Who Know Ja, and most recently hosting the 2018 Prime Minister's Youth Awards.

A year is a very short time when there is so much to do with a team of junior councillors, with many plans and requests to help mould Kingston and St Andrew into The Pearl of The Antilles. I have handed over to Rebecca Lampert, who was the project manager of the Junior Council last year, and I look forward to seeing her continuing in excellence as she leads the 2018-2019 cohort of junior councillors.

I am forever grateful to the KSAMC for a magnificent experience and for its contribution to youth development.

- Annakay Hudson is outgoing Kingston Youth Mayor.