Politics: Future awaits

Young legislators play an important role in the decision-making process as it relates to the drafting and passing of laws. Though youthful, their elevation to the Houses of Parliament means they must face the challenges that come with local politics. They must also shape future relations on both sides of the political divide and chart a course towards a better Jamaica.

Despite the challenges, young lawmakers must perform and succeed for their own survival and the survival of the country.

The Sunday Gleaner asked young lawmakers about the challenges they face as legislators, and to comment on changes they would want to see introduced to facilitate a more efficient and effective legislative process.

Kamina Johnson Smith, 37 - Senator

A legislative agenda should have more specific timelines to allow for the draft person to be able to work towards a policy agenda within a timeline that is not necessarily as aggressive as those which would have been put forward by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

I am hoping that we will have a more coordinated agenda based on policy parameters. This would give clear timelines to the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to deliver bills, and would allow legislators to do the kind of research so that we can have far more substantive debates, even if there is an aggressive timeline.

I also think that members of the private Bar could think about volunteering, in the interest of nation building, to draft bills. They would be supervised by the Ministry of Justice on a policy level, and the process would be overseen by the chief parliamentary counsel. This would go a far way in dealing with the backlog of bills, and it would reduce the strain on the budget.

Othniel Lawrence, 38 - MP St Ann North West

One of the things I would like to see happen on a regular basis is for both sides of the House coming to some level of understanding in a much more expeditious way, especially in a case where a bill is being debated. From time to time you would see a lot of politicking going on … . I would like to see all of us working to reach consensus in the interest of the people of this country, regardless of which party we belong to.

Basil Waite, 34 - Senator

Most legislators have no staff, so the quality of the contributions, advocacy, and representation is dependent on the availability of time and the initiative of the legislators. In many instances, it is the Centre for Leadership and Governance at the University of the West Indies that assists legislators in preparing for debates.

There is also the problem of the gestation period for legislation, which is too long. We need to get more persons drafting legislation at the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

We also need a modern Parliament which is properly staffed so as to assist legislators to raise the quality of their contributions, which now, in some instances, are parochial.

Ian Hayles, 38 - MP, Hanover Western

One of the the biggest problems young legislators face is the distribution of state funds across the 60 constituencies. One has to beg or sit at the feet of a minister in order to deal with problems that affect the citizens within one's constituency.

A lot of the decisions that are made in the Parliament are politically based, and I want to see the back of that.

I would also want to see senior civil service appointments such as the commissioner of police, the head of the defence force, and the Office of the Solicitor General being subjected to approval by at least a two-thirds majority of the House of Representatives.