Squabble over Youth Congress

THE NATIONAL Youth Council of Jamaica (NYCJ) has called on Prime Minister Andrew Holness to clearly outline the ministerial boundaries of state minister in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Warren Newby.

Ryan Small, chairman of NYCJ, said the organisation is being forced to act following Newby's decision to postpone the National Youth Congress.

The event was to be held yesterday but has been postponed for a date to be announced.

The NYCJ chairman has claimed that Newby postponed the event because Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller was slated to be the guest speaker.

Newby, however, said Small was using the congress to promote political interest.

Small, in an interview with The Gleaner yesterday, said Senator Newby "threatened to suspend the entire executive should we go ahead with the meeting".

"He added that our decision to select the opposition leader was politically motivated. This is something that neither he nor the Government has the power to do."

"This means therefore that the youth constitution is under threat," Small said.

According to Small, the decision by the state minister on Friday to call off the event "under the pretext of poor planning" is a low blow to NYCJ members.

"Planning for the event commenced six months ago and he was very much abreast with all the planning. We have mobilised over 400 young people, including overseas delegates who had to cancel their plane tickets at last minutes," Small said.

Newby, while dismissing the accusations by Small, said he refused to be part of any "tit for tat" situation on the matter and said the decision to cancel the event was taken after the National Youth Council executive failed to present a final budget and planning for the event to the National Council for Youth Development (NCYD).

"It was Thursday while reading my Facebook page I saw an announcement from Small saying that the opposition leader was going to be the guest speaker, and when I checked with the NCYD, I was told that nothing was presented," Newby said.

He added: "I have not been in dialogue with Ryan Small for the last three weeks."

"For whatever reason he decided to go ahead with this deceit to promote his own political interest ... . I refuse to be a part of it. I will not allow him to bring the name of the National Youth Council in disrepute," he said.

To be held in december

In the meantime, Newby have sought to assure members that the congress has only been postponed and will take place sometime in December.

"The event is going to be held in an appropriate way ... the proper organisation and financing of the event must be maintained."

The NYCJ is the umbrella organisation for youth clubs across Jamaica, which seeks to foster youth participation at the community level, and advocate for youth participation in all levels of governance.

Holness' governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and Simpson Miller's People's National Party (PNP) are actively campaigning to form the government following the general election which is likely to be held by year end.

Small said he is not aligned to any of the political parties.