THE first Jamaican lawmaker born in the 2000s, Senator Cleveland Tomlinson, says his appointment signifies a generational shift in politics and is an opportunity he will not waste.

As he readies to help pave the way forward for the country, the 25-year-old said he’s looking forward to advancing legislation that reinforces Jamaica’s macroeconomic stability and fosters greater youth engagement and opportunity. He expressed that he accepts the responsibility entrusted to him by Opposition Leader Mark Golding with great humility.

“I intend to demonstrate that young people are not constrained by the weight of experience and, therefore, bring fresh ideas, new perspectives on how issues can be resolved. Being 25 years old, I know that I follow former Senator Gabriela Morris, who was appointed when she was 23 years old, but I accept this as a calling that requires me to demonstrate what young people can do in terms of advancing solutions, sitting at the table, and being a part of the change that is required,” Tomlinson told the Jamaica Observer.

“I’m entering as the first parliamentarian born in the 2000s, which, for me, indicates that politics is opening up to people of my demographic even more, and that is a welcome development because, oftentimes, young people observe the political space in the country and sometimes they might be detached, disconnected. I think that they can identify with me, identify as being a part of my age group, then I think that, that imbues a sense of new hope and confidence in the political process, which we really need to analyse at this time,” he said.

Tomlinson holds a master’s degree in economics from The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, and a bachelor’s degree in business and computer studies from the University of Technology, Jamaica, from which he graduated as valedictorian.

His professional experience includes equities and fixed-income analysis at Sagicor Investments Jamaica Limited, including the provision of strategic guidance to optimise investment performance, capital allocation, and portfolio management while also evaluating macroeconomic and market trends in both domestic and global contexts.

The 25-year-old shared that he entered the political landscape as the junior Opposition spokesman on finance and planning at 23 years old. He then transitioned to become the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) campaign spokesperson for the 2025 General Election.

He told the Sunday Observer that while he never imagined entering the political arena at such a young age, he has always held an interest in national development and Jamaica’s economic trajectory.

“Jamaica, over the last 12 years, has done an excellent job in strengthening its public finances, restructuring its macro-fiscal position, and we’re right now the envy of the Caribbean in terms of macro-fiscal stability, so seeing what we have been able to achieve because of…policies across successive administrations, those things have really bolstered my sense of national pride,” said Tomlinson.

However, he said there is still more work needed to shift the economic narrative about the country and advance its economic capacity. He noted that it was under the PNP Administration that fiscal rules were enshrined to mandate the Government to reduce its public debt-to-gross domestic product ratio to 60 per cent or less by the fiscal year 2027/28. With Jamaica on track to meet the target by the end of this fiscal year, he said other legislation surrounding fiscal targets needs to be examined in this parliamentary year.

“I also have concerns about some developments in the financial sector, with respect to twin peaks that’s coming on board, having engaged with stakeholders in the space. I have some concerns about what the legislation would look like and whether too much authority would be concentrated in the Bank of Jamaica as the sole regulator of the entire financial services sector.

“They would regulate deposit-taking institutions (DTIs) and non-DTIs. I think we need to have balance there, so I’m looking forward to what the legislation will read when they come to Parliament to propose amendments,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Turning to issues affecting youth, he noted that while the unemployment rate is low, jobs do not offer the sustainable income and security that young people need.

“Young persons are most often new entrants in the labour market. New entrants need that degree of income security, which is not offered by the ad hoc, unstable jobs that have proliferated in the economy, which is what makes up the very high employment figures that we see being reported, so I have concerns about that. I also have concerns about home ownership, the degree to which a young person can acquire a home in the country.

“For many people, for many young persons, it can appear to be something that is elusive and can’t be achieved, given the quality of their income and the status of the housing market with respect to prices. These are issues I’m passionate about,” said Tomlinson.

He stated that, as he advocates for and represents the youth of Jamaica in the Upper House, he hopes to inspire those within his demography that anything is possible.

“I’m just 25 years old, so it’s not unreasonable for me to think that many young people are looking on and would use me as a sort of example as to what can be achieved as a young person in the political space, so I intend to operate with integrity and diligence, and I intend to treat the business of Parliament with a high degree of seriousness. I’m not going to go there and just waste time.

“I’m going to contribute to the discussions, I’m going to contribute to decision-making, and outside of being an example for my demographic, I also want to use my economic expertise — the experience and the technical knowledge that I’ve gathered from working in the securities industry — to resolve issues that impact our economy, impact that particular industry from a legislation point of view, from a regulation standpoint,” said Tomlinson.