Pictured above Kinson Case, newly elected President of GenTech, 2016/17
“Young people tend not to
pursue a career in politics as they believe that they will not make it.” This
was the observation shared by Kinson Case, the recently elected President of
GenTech, as he recalls conversations with many of his colleagues who were
involved in politics at the University level but then shied away from it after
completing their studies. GenTech is the Student arm of the Jamaica Labour
Party (JLP) affiliate group Generation 2000 (G2K) located at the University of
Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Ja) Campus.
Pictured above from left, former President of Brazil Lula
da Silva shaking hands with former Prime Minister of Jamaica The Hon. Orette Bruce Golding. Mr. Golding started his
political career as a young man being elected to the Central Executive of the Jamaica Labour Party at just
21 and was later elected to Parliament in 1972 at the age of 24.
No chance of moving up the ranks
Throughout his tenure as
President, Case has at the top of his agenda to usher more of his fellow
students into pursuing a political career. Case bemoaned the fact that so few
of the graduates from UTech, Ja seem to follow a path into politics and could
only readily think of one alumni who sits on the executive for G2K the young
professional arm of the JLP that being Vice President Stephen Edwards, with a
majority of the other members being past students from the University of the
West Indies (UWI). It caused him to question why this was so, when he had witnessed
first-hand, the zeal that these students had for the JLP as well as the immense
contributions that they made while enrolled at the University. In fact, Case
noted that so many of his fellow students had expressed that they possess great
aspirations of rising to positions of leadership in Government out of a desire to bring about positive changes within our country. He decided
therefore to search for a reasonable cause for this issue, and after
conversations with several of his colleagues he found that many did not believe
that it was possible for them to ascend up the ranks of the Party.
PIctured from left to right is Nigel Phipps, Founding Member of G2K St. Mary Chapter, Kinson Case, newly elected President of GenTech, and Krystal Lee, Deputy Gen. Sec. for G2K at an after hurricane clean-up project in St Mary.
GenTech must prove themselves
Case therefore, says that he
wants an avenue to be put in place where after leaving University, past GenTech
members wanting to pursue a career in politics, have a pathway they can follow enabling
them to reach higher positions within the JLP. He did acknowledge however, that
GenTech does have a major part to play in earning this right, as they must
become more vocal, be proactive in their response to current affairs issues and
make their presence felt across the campus as well as the island on a whole.
Important that we try
Case closed with a maxim
that he holds dear to his heart that is “Success begins the moment you decide
to try.” It is a word of encouragement to his colleagues wanting to pursue a
career in politics but are doubtful of their chances, as well as to himself as
he now takes the reins, and seeks to steer GenTech on to a path of influence and
credibility in the eyes of the leadership of the G2K and the JLP. Kinson Case
is a Former VP of the UTech Students’ Union and a final year student, currently
pursuing a Bachelor of Education in Industrial Technology.
Rowen A. Johnson
Public Relations Officer
rowen_johnson@yahoo.com
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