The Caribbean Young Democrat Union (CYDU), the Youth Wing of the CDU, in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) hosted a Power Panel on “Youth Voter Apathy in the Caribbean” on Thursday 12th August, 2021. The event was hosted by Mr. Nick Francis, Secretary General of the CDU.
The panellists included:
• Mr. Kendron Christopher, Chairman of the CYDU, Jamaica;
• Ms. Anazette Olivera, United Democratic Party, Belize;
• Mr. Nikoli Edwards, Political Leader of the Progressive Party, Trinidad & Tobago;
• Senator Hon. Judd Cadet, New National Party, Grenada.
Mr. Kendron Christopher began the discussion with an overview on research undertaken in Jamaica to determine some of the motivational factors for young people to register and vote which include: the quality of the candidate, campaign strategies used, and youth centred policies and programmes that provide a tangible benefit to this voting bloc.
Ms. Anazette Olivera shared her experience as a first time candidate in the Belize Municipal Elections in March 2021. Anazette noted that she was able to build closer personal relationships with her constituents and to gain a deeper understanding of their challenges; this is critical to delivering proper and effective representation. While her bid in the municipal elections was unsuccessful, Anazette re-emphasized the importance of making politics “attractive and interesting” to encourage more young people to get involved, and that political parties must become more inclusive to youths.
Mr. Nikoli Edwards highlighted some misconceptions about young people in politics, noting that while youth entering political parties is important, the internal culture and structures within the party must facilitate their effective participation. As the founder of a new political party in Trinidad and Tobago and candidate in the last general elections, Nikoli noted that it was a significant “learning experience” and called for greater attention and resources to be placed on educating the voting population on the role of government and elected representatives.
Senator Hon. Judd Cadet spoke to the issue of tokenism in Caribbean politics when it comes to the inclusion and participation of young people. Senator Cadet called for greater and deeper engagement with young people at the legislative, community and grassroots levels to encourage their participation in the decision making process. The Senator noted that this was a critical time for our region which faces several external threats such as climate change and the economic hardship caused by the pandemic. Therefore, now is the time for young people to get involved in the electoral process and to influence the decisions that are made are in their best interests.
The panellists also spoke on the importance of Youth Parliaments and the need for increased training and development opportunities for young people who are interested in the political sphere. The CDU in partnership with the WFD continues its work to increase youth participation in politics across the Caribbean through research, dialogue and policy development at the political party level. The CDU extends appreciation to the panellists for sharing their views and insights on this important subject matter.
– Press Release
