No Love For The Yout’ Dem
I read today that both the UNC Alliance and the People’s National Movement blanked the Youth Forum hosted on Wednesday at the Normandie Hotel. They blanked it big time too. Neither of the aforementioned parties sent a single representative to the forum to hear the concerns of the youth.
The Congress of the People showed up however sending not just a representative, but its political leader Winston Dookeran. The members of the forum took the opportunity to hand over their manifesto to Mr. Dookeran where it detailed the top ten issues that were of concern to the youth which were: crime, employment, health, education, abuse, housing, family life, equal opportunity, corruption and abuse of power. The manifesto was the product of a survey conducted during a Youth Voter Awareness Campaign organized by the Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women from August 6 to August 11, 2007.
Now it’s bad enough that neither the UNC-A or the PNM attended, but something stuck me as very odd this morning. Just yesterday this ad appeared in the Express:
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| Advertisement for UNC’s Youth Vibes Rally |
So let’s get this straight. The UNC-A would rather promote a passa passa fete than to meet with the youth of the nation to discuss real issues?
Get your tickets now, folks for the Youth Vibes Rally featuring man like Richie Spice, man like King David, man like Gitta Dan.
Isn’t there something terribly wrong with this picture?
I cringe when I think of the meeting where this decision was made. Yeah, why don’t we hold a “Youth Vibes Rally” with a lot of reggae start. I hear the kids like that kind of thing”. Sheesh.
Part of me wants to believe that it was merely an oversight, but I refuse to think that the youth of the nation can be so easily forgotten. Notice on that same flier there is no mention of issues or speakers. It is all out fete.
Is that their perception of the youth? Partiers and limers who have no interest in issues? My word!
12 Responses to “No Love For The Yout’ Dem”
By Shivonne on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
Yup this seems about right. Last week New Voices on Gayelle discussed the youth vote and invited all three major parties to send representatives. Only one party did so, the CoP, sending youth arm member Valini Pundit. The UNC, I believe, sent a text message at the last minute to say they couldn’t make it. The hosts had to improvise and get two other young people to contribute to the discussion. The PNM was represented by a lovely, fresh-picked balisier. It didn’t make any significant contribution to the discussion.
By Kayode on Oct 20, 2007 | Reply
Good observations there, Mani.
By Anonymous on Oct 20, 2007 | Reply
What you expect from these semi-literate philistines?
By Jan on Oct 20, 2007 | Reply
That Youth Manifesto have plenty BOBOL in it, eh. Take it from one who was involved. Are those REALLY the views we found? Ask “Aunty Hazel” what -really- happened to the results of the Youth Voter Awareness Campaign… I for one, as a young person am TIRED of being taken advantage of by these adults. All the hot sun I stand up in to talk to other young people… all the rich information and hard stories we had to hear about how some young people REALLY suffering in this place, and THAT sh!t is what she publish???? Pure, unfiltered BOBOL.
By Observer on Oct 21, 2007 | Reply
Jan
You speak it the truth. I did not agree with ANY of the issues as detailed in the Youth Manifesto.
Please Please tell all.
There is too much &*() going on in this country and everybody shutting up.
By Anonymous on Oct 21, 2007 | Reply
i kmow that this has nothing to do with the issue at hand here…but could somebody tell me why is kelvin ramnath running for the Couva South seat AGAIN??…did he not just have triple bypass surgery or something?
its not like he did anything for us while he was healthy anyway…
i just thought i would bring this up…seeing that the UNC”A” passed through our area today…with a mic representing him…
sigh*…
By Carnival Jumbie on Oct 22, 2007 | Reply
Doh mind PNM bringing Sizzla for he youths entertainment lololol. I would feel much better as a young person if they could just fix all the pothole on Mucurapo Road
By Anonymous on Oct 22, 2007 | Reply
what i want to know is… if being a knife and fork indian is supposedly a bad thing…according to the UNC…why didn’t uncle Bas sanaay the cake and feed Oma it with his hands instead of using a knife and fork for the day of their rally at Mid Centre Mall???? and they calling poor uncle Dooks a knife and fork indian! hmnph!
By Trini Fake News on Oct 23, 2007 | Reply
Trini Fake News has it from good sources that Mr. Ramnath is running for Couva South again based on his doctor’s recommendation. The doctor suggested he do some light running to get back in shape. Couva South seems light enough for Mr. Ramnath. I’m sure his track record in the constituency will carry him to vistory and he will not need to do too much heavy campaigning.
By Jill on Oct 23, 2007 | Reply
lol mani maybe it was an educational info session in disguise as opposed to a fete ? on another note, “knife and fork indian?” good grief ! sounds like a comment from some of my Indian friends up here who feel roti home is folded up so Indians in TnT doh have to use their hands !
By TriniObserver on Oct 30, 2007 | Reply
That was nice of the COP, but young people simply don’t vote.
That may have been what was behind the actions of the UNC and PNM.
I of course am not endorsing bad behaviour.
By Jan on Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
All will be revealed VERY soon… I feel I might as well make it a Manicou Exclusive, and I dead serious here, eh.