Kingston, Jamaica – March 13, 2016: The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Patriots, (the Caucus of Young Professionals), which was held on Saturday, March 12, 2016 concluded with the election of a new Executive Committee and a call for renewal and reform within the organs of the People’s National Party (PNP).
Mr. Javette Nixon, an entrepreneur and marketing consultant, will lead the new executive. He was elected unanimously to replace outgoing Chairman Raymond Pryce. Mr. Omar Newell, an Attorney-at-Law and the Secretary of PNP’s Region Two, has been elected the group’s General Secretary.
The AGM also mandated the new executive committee to advocate immediately for a programme of renewal of all aspects of the Party’s organization; including its structures, affiliates and leadership corps. The AGM reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to the Party as the best vehicle to advance a national development agenda for Jamaica.
The group congratulated all the Party’s candidates in the recently concluded general elections for their gallant efforts and cautioned the winners not to take the people’s trust for granted and become complacent.
The AGM also recognized that during the preceding political year, the organization faltered in its drive to attract new voters and as such will formulate a strategy to aggressively promote the philosophy of the People’s National Party to young professionals as part of a new recruitment effort.
The participants at the AGM also said that while they recognized the authority of the Party Leader in determining the make-up of the Senate, they concluded that those appointments could have been used to signal a new direction and should have incorporated, in particular, a wider embrace of youth and new ideas. The Party still has an opportunity to signal its readiness to accept a new approach with the consideration of new people for active leadership assignments within the organization as well as with the appointment of the Shadow Cabinet, the group said.
The Patriots said there is no doubt that many at the various levels of leadership have served the Party with distinction for many decades; and as such, there should be no effort to force a transition by divisive means or by way of acrimony through contests. However, there should be a process that permits renewal and transformation of the entire organization to one befitting a modern democratic organization.
The AGM agreed to participate in the appraisal of the Party’s defeat at the recently concluded general elections by submitting its own analysis of the organization and results.
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Contact:
General Secretary, The Patriots
Omar Newell, JD
388-1368