NYC elects new executive. Will it be same ole same ole?

After a hotly contested campaign, when all the smoke cleared, Nyus Alfred and crew were victorious in this year’s National Youth Council elections, held during the Council’s general assembly last Saturday. And although we were served much of the same rhetoric of earlier NYC election candidates, the newly minted president, after thanking the young participants, promised to address the shortcomings of the Council over the years.

“We want to ensure that we engage every single young person in Saint Lucia.” Alfred later told this reporter. “Moving forward we will engage all of our stakeholders; that includes all of the youth groups and clubs round the island.” 

The top man at the NYC was not afraid to point out some of the problems. After stating that “the strength of the NYC is in the strength of our district youth and sports councils,” he conceded that “over the past few years they’ve not been the most functional”. He promised that “our first order of business is to ensure that we have built the structure of the DYSCs so that they’re able to develop programming that will filter down into the community level”.

Additionally: “Over the past two years, one of the things the NYC has fallen short of is advocacy as it relates to young people.” He promised the incoming executive will be “fearless in its approach to represent young people”.

But the incoming NYC executive comprises three members from the earlier board that Alfred had found cause to admonish: Anya Edwin, Ajani Lebourne and Nyus Alfred himself. Nevertheless he said: “One of the things we have realised over the past few years is that young persons come into the NYC for two years, then they go off, whether on a scholarship to further their studies or into some professional endeavour. Every two years the organisation has had to reset because previous executives have not been willing to continue the work or to build on the foundation laid by the previous executive.” He believes that with a few returning executive members to steady the ship, combined with the new team members, the mandate will be fulfilled more quickly and effectively.

“I think that having that experience to build over the next two years puts us in a very unique position in that we already know the structure in the NYC,” he said. “So in terms of transition we have very little to do. It makes it a lot simpler moving forward and getting down to work as we get into office. It’s been two days into the job and we’ve already started working for the young people of Saint Lucia.”    

But the campaign was far from encouraging. Too often it brought to mind our regular politicians. “It was very unfortunate, some of the events during the campaign for the NYC election,” Alfred conceded. “But during the elections, even before the results had been announced, the contestants had already come together and agreed that at the end of the day our goal is youth development, and regardless of who won we would do our best to work toward common goals.”  

He went on: “It’s quite unfortunate, what goes on today in the politics in Saint Lucia. I was hoping, during the course of this campaign, that we could have shown our leaders the way to go about competing in the political arena. But that is something I think we didn’t quite accomplish.” But Alfred remains hopeful that the youth can help improve our political discourse and behaviour. 

Last Thursday Alfred did something all too reminiscent of our politicians. He chose not to turn up for a scheduled appearance on Rick Wayne’s TALK. Instead, he sent a (very capable) substitute, Student Council President Rahym Joseph, to represent him. He was roundly criticised by callers and Facebook commenters alike. Betraying the slightest smile at the recalled occasion, Alfred said: “I was not well. That was the main reason I did not appear on Rick Wayne’s show.” As for Rahym Joseph, Alfred was not shy about explaining why he’d chosen him as his stand-in last Thursday: “I decided to send a very capable man who had basically run point for our campaign. So he was au courant with all the plans, and our objectives. He knows the candidates well, so I found it was very fitting to send him.” The NYC President also confirmed this week that he was looking forward to another invitation to appear on TALK.