Delano Seiveright is the sole nominee so far for the post of G2K president.- File photos

THE JAMAICA Labour Party's young professional group, Generation 2000 (G2K), will have a new leader come Saturday, November 7.

Communications consultant and G2K vice-president Delano Seiveright is the sole nominee to replace Warren Newby as president of the nine-year-old organisation.

Nominations close tomorrow with the election on Saturday, but Jamaica Labour PArty (JLP) sources say it is unlikely that anyone else would throw their hat in the ring.

"There will be no contest, as everybody has agreed that Seiveright is the man for the job," a senior JLP official told The Sunday Gleaner.

"He has shown that he has what it takes to return the group to the leading role it played under previous leaders like Chris (Tufton)," the JLP official added.

Newby, a government senator and parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Information Youth and Culture, has indicated that he would not be seeking re-election after three years on the job.

"By convention, nobody has served for more than three years, as we want the organisation to be evergreen with new ideas, and my decision is in the best interest of the organisation and me," Newby told The Sunday Gleaner.

Having been led by Dr David Panton, Dr Ronald Robinson, Dr. Christopher Tufton and Newby since its inception as a think tank and political-action group, G2K has morphed into a key part of the communication and policy arm of the JLP.

But it appears to have lost some of its focus since the party emerged victorious in the 2007 general election.

That was compounded by the decision of Prime Minister Bruce Golding to reward Newby with a seat in the Senate and the position of parliamentary secretary.

Now the party wants to see the young professional group revita-lised, and many believe Seiveright is the man for the job.

A University of the West Indies graduate, Seiveright played a lead role in the JLP's election public relations and communication and earned kudos from many party stalwarts for his hard work.

Last week, the 25-year-old Seiveright confirmed his interest in leading G2K, but said he did not know if he would be the sole nominee.

He said his decision to take on G2K's top position came after careful consideration and a desire to effect positive transformation.

According to Seiveright, G2K must reassert its role within the JLP and the wider society.

break down the walls political tribalism

"I am committed to special and robust efforts that will help to break down the walls of hard-core political tribalism and polarisation that has beset Jamaica for decades," Seiveright said.

He argued that "G2K must aggressively develop a cadre of young professionals unshackled by the past, emboldened with a newness of thought, and a 21st-century approach to tackling the enormous challenges Jamaica faces".

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com

Warren Newby, outgoing G2K president.