Dear Editor,
Youth in Parliament – Is this just for Show?
We need to stop and think about this new trend where we have fallen in love with youth promotion in parliament and wanting to be the most successful party to elevate young people to the hallowed halls of legislative, judicial and executive power.
We have been watching a parade of young people, especially from one side, into both the upper and lower houses. The young women are there with their fancy hairdos and perfectly made up faces, their expensive clothes and shoes and designer handbags. The young men are all smiles and ready to be the ones in authority and to be managers of the female rush (this is a given).
There is just one youth on the other side. He seems to be a smart young man but he looks somewhat too junior and straight-laced to be taken seriously. Politics is ninety percent show, pomp and circumstance. The rest is happenstance.
This move to involve the youth more in the management of the nation’s affairs is seen by many as progressive, and persons are happy for them. But shouldn’t we be thoughtful about what they are bringing to the people of Antigua and Barbuda that could be looked on as sustainable and leading to development in the society?
Because we are small, we tend to know a lot about each other, and more so about those who grace the pages of our newspapers, or whose voices we hear on the radio or TV on a regular basis. We have formed opinions of some of them based on prior knowledge and especially what they have been doing that has given rise to their new found status. One started out as an independent senator but was quickly subsumed by the lure of fame which has led to embracing the philosophy of the victors and all its potentials. One is the bright light of the other side because it seems his peers have all been chased away by the heat that emanates from the witch’s cauldron. His survival is said to be his usefulness and also that he has paternal protection within the ranks.
The questions to be asked are, is this rush to promote the youth into politics done for the best reasons, or is it just for show? Are these young people fired up and energized with the passion to want to make a difference for their country, or is it just their search for a chance to achieve fame and recognition? Or is it just that they too will be waiting for their opportunity to emulate their older comrades in arms and get what they can get?
Will they fall prey to the philosophy of keeping their mouths shut and their ideas to themselves and just fit in to whatever groove they met established there? Will they be sending a message to their peers which says if you want to make it, you have to jump on board and leave all your scholastic ideals behind.
These young people are educated so the words will flow in the houses, and they will be praised for their ability to ‘talk’. But is this what we are looking for when we appoint persons to be a part of the management system of our nation? Has the talking that we have grown accustomed to turned out to be the sum total of the measure of our lawmakers?
History has shown that in small states the eventual contamination of the youth in parliament is always expected and does materialize.
We can hope that this new batch would show some fight to be different, standing on their convictions and sense of right and wrong.
History has also shown that while waiting for this to manifest itself, we should not hold our breath.
Wise Owl
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The writer of this article appears to be quite jealous and bitter of the achievements of these young, bright, and talented people. The following two sentences give away the underlying premise of the piece and the source of jealousy:
“The young women are there with their fancy hairdos and perfectly made up faces, their expensive clothes and shoes and designer handbags. The young men are all smiles and ready to be the ones in authority and to be managers of the female rush (this is a given).”
Those two sentences tell you everything you need to know about the writer and their thinking. you’re not a wise owl; you’re an old and bitter jackass.
Hey Writer no one give a f**k about yo jealous hating azz feelings…
Not for show at all. They are the future and are getting an early start in the realm of politics as they should in many other areas.
CONGRATULATIONS to the RT HON.GASTON BROWNE
for placing his confidence in these YOUNG , BRIGHT , EDUCATED and BEAUTIFUL young Antigua. Special thanks for seeing the CAPACITY and ABILITY in my Schoolmate JOEL RAYNE. Joel is a very BRIGHT ,EDUCATED person. His wife Dr.Rayne is a medical Doctor in Antigua .and His two BEAUTIFUL Daughters. I know His mother Janet and Father Walcott Rayne .I applaud the Prime Minister this crop of EDUCATED ,TALENTED , BRIGHT, SMART young Antiguans.
The writer for this article is too bitter I am annoyed just reading this nonsense!!!!!!!
The writer is clearly afraid of getting older.
It is lamentable that many of us have grown up but have never matured. We have not contributed anything of significance to our community. All we do is find fault in every action being taken by the administration of both sides.
Politics have make into unfortunate and unforgivable folks of sorts.
Now, you sat in the comfort of your home to pen this insensitive, insensate piece, disrespecting the progress that we have made to embrace our youth and women in our decision-making process?
If this is your thinking, then I’m happy that you’re kept far from our legislative and judicial branches.
Though I respect your right to voice your concerns and opinions, I’m quite certain that it has its place at Cooks Dump.
Let’s all level up.
Wise owl, you are wise indeed. Time will tell the best tale.
Can’t believe I wasted 3 minutes to read nothing…. My question is if not now, when? For decades there was never any type of succession planning by any political party now, there is a strong possibility that one of these young persons might actually become the best candidate for leadership or even Prime Minister in the future…., remember, there’s no school or classes that teaches you to be a politician!!
Who wrote this TRASH?
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