Water problems impel first-timer to make her mark
ON MONDAY, 21-year-old Josette Miller was nervous as she left home for a polling station in Linstead, St Catherine, to take part in her first national election.
Unsure of what to expect, her mind was racing for the entire journey.
“The trip was scary and I was sceptical. I was thinking about what to expect. I was wondering what I should do,” she told The Gleaner moments after casting her ballot, laughing as she reflected.
But Miller found that everything went smoothly when she got to the polling station, with t he electoral workers giving clear instructions on how to cast her ballot correctly.
“Very, very smooth,” was how she described the process at Banbury in Linstead. “Ten out of 10.”
She pointed to road conditions and issues with the water supply in Linstead, particularly in Banbury, where her aunt frequently has water issues, as motivation to make her mark.
She spoke highly of the People’s National Party’s Herbert Garriques.
“Learning about his whole tenure in being the leader of the area, I can say that he can and he will fix these issues,” she said of the candidate, who was facing the Jamaica Labour Party’s Listra Clemetson at the polls.
Meanwhile, Miller noted that many of her peers had very little interest in politics.
“I have been talking to some of my friends about the voting process and some of them said they’re not voting because they’re not into politics. They’re not interested in the whole JLP or PNP argument. And then I have some who know the whole process from they were young because they were raised in it,” she said.
Miller said that while some of her friends continue to push others to cast ballots and attend political events to learn of plans for their communities or the nation at large, most young people do not believe that it is necessary to get involved in politics.
Lastly, Miller offers ideas to boost the youth’s political awareness.
“I would say have more seminars, not just about debating, but include more information about the whole process,” she suggested.
Participating in youth politics, according to her, is also a good idea.