$100,000 TO BE GIVEN TO EACH YOUTH MAYOR FOR PROJECT...PM INSTRUCTS

$100,000 TO BE GIVEN TO EACH YOUTH
MAYOR FOR PROJECT...PM instructs

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has instructed that one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) be given to all youth Mayors for a project that is substantial and long lasting.

Speaking at the Prime Minister's Youth Mayor's Luncheon today (Dec 2) at Jamaica House, Mr. Golding said that the young mayors should be leaders of today and not tomorrow as is often said.

"You can't afford to wait until tomorrow to start leading. There is space for your leadership that right now is not sufficiently occupied because there are people that you can influence that I cannot influence. I call on you to prepare yourself to start exerting that influence and in the right way" Mr. Golding said.

He added that one half of the population of Jamaica is below the age of 25 and they can be influenced by other young people. "That is your generation and you can reach them, you can exert your influence and lead them. I am challenging you to begin to take up that responsibility."

The Prime Minister told the young mayors that he wanted them to be prepared to question and challenge the things that adults say if they are not satisfied and step forward because that is leadership.

"Do not wait for us to make space for you, step up to the plate and assert yourself. I think we (adults) owe you an apology because we are bequeathing you a confused society and you're going to have to repair some of the damage that we have done. Look at the successes that we have achieved to see how you can build on them but there is lot of fixing that you will have to do."

The PM said that after listening to the presentations of the young mayors, his confidence in young people was reinforced. He charged them to assert themselves and provide the leadership that the country needs now.