Town hall series on MP job descriptions set to start on September 24

By Nakinskie Robinson    

 

A series of four town halls is being organised to allow for public comments and recommendations surrounding the job descriptions of the political directorate.

 

The inaugural meeting, set for September 24 at Jamaica College, will cover constituents in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas.

 

This was agreed on Tuesday during a Joint Select Committee meeting examining the Green Paper regarding job descriptions for MPs and the codes of conduct for parliamentarians and Cabinet ministers.

 

MP for South West St. Elizabeth and committee member Floyd Green encouraged young people to provide feedback throughout the process.

 

"You know you would always be giving the young people opportunity to be there. You know school has started and I am really looking forward, I must be honest, to hear what the youth have to say on the concept of the job descriptions. 

 

"So I also want to suggest, Chair, that there are a number of youth led organisations or secondary schools council; I think it would be good to specifically reach out to them to ask for them to give some feedback on these job descriptions. We hope a number of them will transition from student leadership into political representation," he said. 

 

Mr. Green also made suggestions for localised consultations within constituencies.

 

Meanwhile, committee member and MP for East Rural St. Andrew Juliet Holness said the public engagement series is a step towards removing public perception that politicians cannot be transparent, accountable and judicious.

 

"I take issue with us always seeming to be in a place that we behave as if we are the worst of the worst and we continue to feed the narrative in everything we do and say and how we conduct our affairs. We must hold ourselves in high esteem and regard and this process is actually a part of doing that, saying to the people we are opening up ourselves to you, we want your input and we want to be held accountable." 

 

In June, Prime Minister Andrew Holness tabled in the House of Representatives job descriptions for parliamentarians in the form of a Green Paper and for ministers, a White Paper.

 

Mr. Holness said the move was intended to improve public perception regarding roles and responsibilities of ministers and Members of Parliament.