'True unity lacking' - National youth groups call for cohesion
Published:Monday | January 24, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Say 'individuality' killing common cause
Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer
A CALL by members of the National Youth Council and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Guild of Students for Jamaica's youth to become more empowered has come amid an apparent disunity that exists among youth organisations.
Jovaughn Neil, president of the UWI guild, said on Friday that the networking capabilities of youth groups are highly inefficient.
Neil, addressing a Gleaner Editors' Forum at the newspaper's North Street, central Kingston offices, said groups such as the National Youth Council, the National Centre for Youth Development, the National Youth Parliament (NYP), the Jamaica Youth Advocacy and the university guilds were the only obvious groups leading the charge for youth development.
"There are so many youth organisations and we do not coordinate our efforts by looking at a coordinated approach and a sustained reach. We focus on our individual issues," he said.
Neil referred to the cohesiveness of groups across the region, citing individuals uniting for a common cause.
"In Jamaica, something that affects me does not necessarily affect you and, as such, if it's not my thing, it's your thing and you are on your own with it," he said.
"When we (the UWI guild) were debating about the financing of education, we were not taken seriously by the Government. One of the reasons why is that we are not industrialised. We cannot strike, therefore, we cannot afford not to go to school. We are at a loss, so if we have no weight to pull, then you have no say."
The guild president said youth groups must have a coordinated voice so that when they make demands and these demands are not met, young Jamaicans will take the necessary action.
André Stephens, a member of the NYP, said though it is difficult to mobilise young people through a collaborative effort, the groups can push the youth to rise up.
"All these youth groups should come under one umbrella for the continued development of our young people," Stephens said.