Opposition going after youth vote
By Vernon Daley, Staff Reporter

Franklin

WITH THE youth vote being seen as a crucial factor in the October 16 general election, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says it is going all out to pull young people to the polls on Election Day.

Andre Franklin, president of the JLP's youth arm, Young Jamaica, said his party has fashioned its message of job creation, improved education and justice, with the concerns of young people in mind.

Mr. Franklin, who sat with The Gleaner for an interview recently, said the three issues are fundamental to young people, many of whom are unemployed, poorly educated and are dealt injustice by the agents of the state on a daily basis. The JLP, he says, has set itself the task of attacking these problems, through improving the country's economic environment.

"It's the JLP's mission to create employment for its youth to stir the economy," Mr. Franklin said.

According to him, the youth arm has been very active on the ground, assisting candidates as well as having seminars, discussions and one on one talks with young people to bring them into the JLP's corner.

The JLP, in its election manifesto, has proposed a slate of programmes to capture the youth vote, many of which centre on education. The most popular of these is its proposal for free education for students up to the secondary level.

But, while the JLP looks to the imminent election, it also has to deal with lingering concerns about its ageing leadership. In fact, the party's leader, Edward Seaga, is 72 years old while most of the other leaders are middle-aged men. Mr. Franklin, however, insisted that there was an infusion of new blood in the party that could identify with and energise young people.

"My party has done a lot to bring youth to the fore," said Mr. Franklin.

The Young Jamaica president, who is now 28, said he is testimony to this, having held key leadership roles in the party for the last three years.

He has been a spokesman for the party on corruption in addition to serving on several committees, including the powerful, Standing Committee. Mr. Franklin, who declared that he had ambitions for leadership in the future, noted that the process of change was very slow but in time would see more young people in the top leadership of the party.

"In time, you'll find more young people elevating themselves to the top leadership of the party," he said.