Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday called on the young professional arm of his ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to support his government, in the face of mounting challenges posed by the harsh economic times.

The prime minister was delivering the main address at Belmont Road in Kingston, where Delano Seiveright and his slate of vice-presidential candidates were ushered into the executive of Generation 2000 (G2K), by acclamation, following a deal brokerage which saw other nominees withdrawing to avoid a showdown.

In a lengthy speech on the country’s debt problem and the current economic situation, Golding called on the organisation for its support but told them not to be cheerleaders.

“If ever I need G2K it’s now. Delano, it’s no easy road to travel, but I have every confidence in you and the team.I want you to be prepared to challenge the orthodoxy of even some of the things that we think. I don’t want you to sort of rub our noses in the ground about it, but I want you to be prepared to say to us ‘now why are you taking that particular line’,” he told the new president.

Golding also praised outgoing president, Senator Warren Newby for his service to the organisation, but urged them to keep the party’s message alive.

“There is another important role that you have to play and that has to do with making sure that we are not marginalised, in the flow and expression of opinion. And I say this deliberately, because we have a huge landscape out there. Media in the last 15 years or so have exploded and you have so many different sources of information, news, news of opinion and it’s important that you become involved in putting forward your own particular views in making sure that you provide, in a sense, the other side of that argument.” Golding said.

He said individuals had biases including individuals in media, but said it was important that despite biases, what was said made sense and was credible.

He singled out trade unionist Lambert Brown and the Rev Garnet Roper among those with biases, and urged G2K to get their views in the public domain to help to influence opinion and tell their story.

Seiveright will have as his vice-presidents Rianna Wright, Robert Collie, Richard Porteous and Andrew Warwar, as well as general secretary, Colin Virgo.