NYC Prepares For The Polls

Nominations are officially open for positions on the executive board of The Saint Lucia National Youth Council (NYC) for the period 2019- 2021.

The Saint Lucia National Youth Council is a democratic and independent non-governmental organization made up of youth and student organizations. The executive board comprises seven positions namely, President, 1st vice President, 2nd Vice President, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, Treasurer and Public Relations Officer.

All youth organizations are invited to nominate competent young persons to fill in the various positions on or before the deadline of June 28th, 2019. Once candidates are confirmed, a public press conference will be held to showcase the individuals contesting each position and one round of televised presidential debates will take place. The date for the NYC General Assembly and elections is slated for Saturday, August 3rd, 2019.

Nomination forms are available at the NYC office, the District Youth and Sports Councils and online via the Saint Lucia National Youth Council’s Facebook page.

Interested persons are invited to note the following eligibility criteria for being nominated: The nominee for any position on the NYC Executive must be between the age of 18 and 35; a registered member of a youth organization registered under a District Youth and Sports Council in accordance with the NYC Constitution (Article3: Membership) or; a member of a recognized youth-led organization registered with the Saint Lucia National Youth Council or the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports.

The Election process is managed by an independent Electoral Committee. The Committee seeks to improve the overall process of elections for the organization by presenting a truly Nation-wide opportunity for young people to participate in the affairs of its main representative organization. Amid calls for revamping the organization, reviewing its structure and constitution, it is recognized that the quality of leadership of the organization is key to its proper function. The role of the Elections Committee therefore, shall be to ensure a fair, transparent, participatory but highly professional approach to electing the next crop of leaders for the organization.

The outgoing executive members are as follows: Jeshurun Andrew- President, Nyus Alfred- 1st Vice President, Ajani Lebourne- 2nd Vice President, Anya Edwin- Treasurer, Latoya Charles-Public Relations Officer, Raejean Montoute- General Secretary, Raquel John -Assistant General Secretary.

The NYC was established on April 14, 1985. In 1997, the Saint Lucia National Youth Council Incorporation Act was passed in Parliament, making the Council the legal and legitimate body representing youth throughout the island. One of Council’s main objectives is ‘to promote the active participation of youth in the economic, social, cultural, and political life of Saint Lucia’.