Youth and politics mix at YFF forum

A public forum for young people, organised by their peers to address issues affecting the next generation of Belizeans was held today in the old capital. It’s part of activities for youth week, being celebrated with the theme: “The future lies in the wisdom of the old and the strength of the youth.” Many of the boys and girls who took part in the discussion are too young to vote, but some will have attained that right, by the time the next general elections roll around in 2008. Today they sat down at the UWI Centre to discuss one question: youth and politics how does one affect the other? Here is one participant’s answer.

Carmichael Polonio, Organizer, Youth Forum

?First of all to inform young people what politics is because I believe most young people have a misunderstood definition of politics. They think of politics more on a partisan scale, where politics is so much more than that.?

?I believe that politics and almost everything is intertwined. I believe that almost every decision we make has a political aspect to it and that we the youths we?ll carry on what happens today in Belize. So the decisions they make today it?s we who are either going to pay the debts or proper in Belize.?

Panelists for this evening’s forum were Herbert Wiltshire from Governance Improvement Commission, Florence Goldson from WIN-Belize and researcher Adele Catzim. Other activities for Youth Week include appearances on the radio talk show circuit, drama night on Thursday and a concert night on Friday at the Memorial Park. The week of activities ends on Saturday with various sporting activities.