ON November 5, the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) launched the National Youth Parliamentary Watch (NYPW) Committee. This committee was established out of a recommendation by the 2008-2009 National Youth Parliament to give legitimacy to the National Youth Parliament.

The committee draws membership from established youth organisations, including the Jamaica Youth Ambassadors Programme (JAYAP), the Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students (JUTS), the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC), the National Youth Parliament (NYP), the Norman Manley Law School Students’ Association, Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) and the National Youth Council (NYC).

It is the committee’s aim to review bills and policies placed before parliament; review existing laws; lobby the national parliament/parliamentarians for support to advance youth mainstreaming; recommend changes where necessary to parliament; prepare submissions to parliament as well as present before parliamentary committees, and to organise and meet with stakeholder youth organisations to gain their input and recommendations.

The NYPW is an affiliate of the National Centre for Development. The NCYD will provide financial and technical support, including the provision of a secretariat equipped with necessary resources to enable its development. The NCYD will also house the official headquarters of the NYPW.

The committee is led by a seven member executive: chairman, Kamal Powell; vice-presidents, Paul McFarlane and Jerron Green; director of public relations, Kemesha Kelly; general secretary, Melissa Simms; treasurer, Jeffrey Brown; and director of internal affairs, Theresa Thompson.