By Robert A. Emmanuel
The voices of the youth on politics need to be expressed, says Director of Academic Affairs at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus.
Dr Curtis Charles was speaking on the Observer AM show yesterday, as the Antiguan UWI campus prepared to host its public advocacy series themed “A Conversation with Youth Leaders” on Monday.
“Having spent most of my life in the US, I know that no political party wins a landslide without the youth vote and we thought that the youth was really silent in this past election…and we think that is a strike across of the bow of the ship, that if the youth of this country take their destiny into their own hands, they need to start being heard right now,” the Academic Affairs Director stated.
The campus has held several public advocacy forums, including a conversation with the leaders of the two main political parties.
The series, which starts on February 27 at 6.30pm, will feature youth from each of the political parties—Chaneil Imhoff of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), Carl Christopher of the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and Chevaughn Benjamin of the United Progressive Party (UPP).
“When we had the two political leaders…what we wanted to do is that as we turned that leaf into focusing on the youth, we wanted to have representation from all three parties…we would want to know what these young leaders have been taught, what their visions are [and] what their views are for the future of this country.
“We want our students to graduate in the theme and methodology of the great leaders that came from our campuses – and be active, don’t be dormant.
“If you weren’t satisfied with the election, activate, if you were satisfied, activate more, so this is an opportunity for us to put Antigua on the map,” Dr Charles voiced.
The series will also be hosted by three young persons in renowned journalists Carlena Knight, of Observer Newsco, and Kieron Murdoch, of Twin Island Media, along with Vice President of the UWI Five Islands Guild of Students and National Youth Parliamentarian, Esquire Henry.
Dr Charles added that youth must be active in understanding the political landscape of the country.
He noted that, “If the young people of this country are not being ignited, and I am not talking about having a youth arm of your political party, I am talking about seriously being ignited, students are going to sit down and not ask questions.
“So what we are trying to do is to be that spark of knowledge and forum where our students will feel comfortable to have these types of discussions.”
