A Call to Keep Montserrat’s Youth Informed About their Civic Duty
Efforts must be made to keep youths informed about their civic duty as residents of Montserrat.
This notion was expressed during a discussion on the radio show, “The Speaker’s Chair” as the topics of civic responsibility and volunteerism were reviewed.
Guest speaker and President of the Nevis Island Assembly, Michelle Slack explained that while civic duty is necessary for democracy, there has been a reluctance to engage in civic duties, which can especially be seen in voter turnout across the region. She believes that mistrust is the main reason for this decline in engagement.
Chief Statistician at the Statistics Department on Montserrat, Siobhan Tuitt supported this view as she proposed more programs and training be put in place to ensure that the youth understand their civic role.
She also explained the necessity of civic responsibility in shaping the future of the country and its relevance to democracy, noting the census as a mandatory civic responsibility.