PPP'S boss Leon Burrell focuses on youth

BY BASIL WALTERS Observer staff reporter

Monday, November 21, 2011

NEWLY elected president of the Marcus Garvey People's Political Party (PPP), Leon Burrell, comes with a focus on youth.

With that approach, the youngest president of the PPP, who a month ago replaced attorney-at-law Michael Lorne (who did not seek re-election), aims to field candidates for all 63 constituencies in the upcoming general election.

At age 27, Burrell could be seen as a trendsetter of sorts, as his ascension to the leadership of Jamaica's oldest political party was a few weeks ahead of Andrew Holness' endorsement by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) parliamentarians as the successor to outgoing prime minister Bruce Golding.

"I was elected to the presidency of the Marcus Garvey People's Political Party on September 10, 2011, at our party conference. I am the youngest president ever in the party, but let me not be arrogant about that. There are circumstances. This is a party that is not one of the popular political parties, although it is the first. It is a party that has been struggling over the decades," Burrell admitted.

Outlining his vision, Burrell articulated his youthful agenda and the difference that he hopes to make.

"What I have done so far is I am trying to organise the youth in seeing this political organisation as a different social space than what exists within the PNP and the JLP. We are trying to create a space for a social movement among youth to start with, so as to awaken the consciousness of our youth," he said.

"It is important for a number of reasons," he continued "Particularly to the party first. It ensures continuity and continuity is something that we are looking for, so that's the first thing.

"The second thing is that the youth of Jamaica today suffer from apathy. By encouraging the youth to become more politically and more socially conscious, then you'll find that our country will now be stepping up. I think that the more politically minded youth now need to come forward and to stake their claim in builing the country," he said.

The young political turk contextualised his agenda in the historical and philosophical perspective of his party.

"The other thing is that youth is important because this is a political party that strongly believes in strong communities. Garveyism in the 21st century is the idea that without a strong community there will be no strong State. And it is the youth who you find are the active members in communities. Youths are the builders and shapers of our society. Of course with the help of experience.

"Again not being naive, there should always be collaboration between the youth and those who are experienced. But we have a situation where it is because of my enthusiasm and my conviction for Garvey and Garveyism that has led me to become the president of the People's Political Party," Burrell added.

Burrell is a former president of the Marcus Garvey Movement (MGM) on the UWI campus. During his tenure as president of the MGM for the academic year 2005-2006, it was awarded along with the Drama Society, the Most Outstanding Student Organisation on campus. He presently teaches history and Caribben Studies at Wolmer's Boys School.

Burrell's Master's thesis was on the PPP. The UWI graduate, who also holds a Bachelor's degree, in addition to a Master's degree in history, is presently pursuing a Doctorate in gender studies at the UWI.

According to him, he views with suspicion the JLP's recent approach in relation to youth.

"It is always good to put the youth forward, but it is not something that should be done as a project or a programme. Whenever you put the youth forward you should put it as a method of consciousness. I think that what the JLP is doing is they are trying to put forward a project that would make them electable once again," Burrell noted.

"That's not what this (PPP) party is doing. The PPP is offering a social space, space for social movement. If we look at social movements all around the world it's manned and organised by the youth. That is what this party is doing," he stressed.

"I have been a Pan-Africanist since I was 14. I have been a part of various Pan-African organisations, the Marcus Garvey Movement when I was on campus, there's the African Liberation Day Committee, and also the UNIA and this political party which has a PanAfrican centre," he said.

His political ambition also includes taking the consituency of south east St Catherine (in Portmore) away from sitting Member of Parliament Colin Fagan of the PNP.

"Another one of my aims is to fill all 63 seats in the upcoming general election. The reason I feel that the alternative parties have failed is because in the Westminster system, if you don't win the majority then you cannot take government.

"South East St Catherine has five divisions. I think that with the support of youth, if I can awaken the consciousness of youth in that constituency, then I think that we would be able to bring out the votes. But let me not be naive. It also depends on when the election is called. I think that the later the election is called is better for this party. The first thing is that it would give us more time to prepare," he said.

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PPP'S boss Leon Burrell focuses on youth