DIRECTOR of Sport, Christopher Jones, has shared that he has a strong commitment to promoting youth leadership through the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) as a young leader himself.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jones scored the most votes-382 to be exact- during the PNCR’s Central Executive Committee voting held recently at the party’s 20th Biennial Delegates Congress. But not only is Jones leading the 15-member committee, he has also garnered more support from the party’s base over many of the elders of the PNCR.

“Essentially when I got the news about the results, and essentially that my name was there at the very top of the list, I was very excited,” the Director of Sport related. More than that however, his excitement was compounded by the fact that he had been working under the party’s elders for a number of years.

For him, he said, “Here it is that the party- the grass-root members across the country- recognised something within you as a young person.” And though he has been given a great responsibility, he is truly humbled to receive this support.

Now with this support behind him, and as a young leader in the party, he intends on making the playing field more open for younger persons. As a Central Executive member also, he is able to speak to the party elders like President Granger, who is the Leader of the party and newly elected Chairperson, Volda Lawrence.

“I have that opportunity now again to speak directly to them for and on behalf of young people, not only in the party, but young people in general,” Jones affirmed but reminded that he has always been advocating on behalf of youth.

Moving forward, it is Jones’ goal to see young people take up leadership positions and get involved in local affairs. He particularly stressed that young people ought to participate in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) slated for November 12.

“There is this thing that people don’t wanna get involved in politics because politics is a dirty game and so forth,” he noted. He affirmed that it is more than politics because local government deals with more community-based issues like ensuring streets and other infrastructure are up-to-date.

His message to young people was: “If you are a young person who essentially resides in such a community and you want to see betterment, don’t just be speaking in the background but step forward and speak and represent your community.”

Jones has also shared that he will be more proactive in supporting young people contesting the LGEs in their local constituencies.

Firm in his opinion that the young demographic must see a reflection of themselves within the ambit of government, Jones asserted, “I am strongly pushing on that front; it may not necessarily be me but I just want to see that reflection there. It is time.”

Aside from his focus on promoting youth, he will use his position to interface with those at the very helm of the party and remind each and every member of the pronouncements they made while campaigning as candidates.

“So, I’m gonna keep those notes and, of course, when I meet back with them I will start the conversation off with: ‘In keeping with what you said that you intend to do, I am here to lend support to that initiative’.”

Outside of that however, Jones commented that the leadership of the PNC/R has always been supportive of young people and he does not foresee any challenges in getting the other executive members to work alongside him as he continues to push youth leadership and development.