I want to change the political culture, says Neita-Robertson

On the eve of her official return to representational politics, Valerie Neita-Robertson says one of the things she wants to do is to help change the political culture in Jamaica.

Further, Neita-Robertson says she wants to help change the way election campaigns are conducted.

“I want to reform the political culture. The culture of tribalism, the culture of buying votes, which creates no future for the people,” she told The Gleaner today.

“I want to reform the approach to electioneering so that the people understand the issues that affect them in their communities and understand that they must vote on issues,” she added.

Neita-Robertson, who has been one of the country’s top criminal defence attorneys for many years, will be introduced tomorrow as the People’s National Party (PNP) standard-bearer in west Portland during a rally scheduled to take place at Buff Bay Primary School.

However, she has sought to make it clear that she is not new to representational politics, having served for several years as PNP Councillor for the Papine Division before leaving to concentrate on her career in law.

Neita-Robertson said having achieved all that she has in her legal career, she now has the time “to do what I have always loved which is representational politics.”

“I have always been committed to my country. I am a nationalist. When I left law school, I could have migrated and joined the New York bar. I chose to remain in Jamaica and make an impact on the justice system, especially for the poor and marginalised,” she said.

Neita-Robertson said through her law firm she has had a long connection with west Portland and indicates that she intends to focus on the young people in the constituency.

“Unemployment is very high among the youths. Tears will come to your eyes when you speak to some of the young people who have been to university at great expense to themselves and their families and can’t find employment in the parish,” she said.

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