Left in the picture is Year 5 teacher Leona Harris-Cunningham and stooping is Mrs. Dalton Evans a teacher support. The students in photo are Years 5 and 6.

As part of studies by Years-five and six classes of Cayman Brac’s West End Primary School on Cayman’s social organisation, democracy, and systems of government, the students examined ways in which people can become leaders.

Teacher, Leona Harris-Cunningham, reported that they also dealt with the question of why government is needed and the importance of leaders in a group or community in the Cayman Islands.

To assist in these studies the First Elected Member to the Legislative Assembly for Cayman Brac, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly was earlier this month invited as a resource person from the community to give students an insight on the role of MLAs.

She enlightened the students about how bills are drafted to be passed into law by the Legislative Assembly.

As motivation for the children she told them about her childhood days and how she worked diligently in school to achieve her goals.

She encouraged the students to work hard in school so that they can take their rightful place in society.

“It was an absolute delight and honour to speak to the senior class at the West End Primary School, regarding my role as a Member of the Legislative Assembly,” Mrs O’Connor said.

“Part of my address to the young students was spent explaining to them their rights in civic society and to assure them that the role of a [political] representative is to represent all of the people, who definitely included children.

“After all children have genuine needs; children have aspirations; children have valuable advice that is necessary and desirable when any government engages in the business of governing.”

The MLA said that students acted immediately upon her advice during the talk, with one of them saying that her school was in need of a bus and wanted her, as one of the district MLAs, to help them in this cause. Another student said that they needed two more classrooms.

“It was exciting to see this type of civic interest being expressed by the students and it gave me great hope for the future of these Islands as more and more young people become engaged in the political process,” she commented.

“Time was also spent time explaining the value of a good sound education and the important role that God has played in my life which has resulted in me achieving many successful milestones,” Mrs O’Connor-Connolly said.

“It was also intimated to the students that a good MLA is always an attentive listener, an excellent communicator and someone who knows how to exercise sound and reasonable judgment, in the execution of his or her responsibilities, she said.

Mrs O’Connor-Connolly explained how matters are brought before the LA and the roles of the ministers, official members of the government backbench, the opposition , the speaker and clerk were also discussed.

“I also thanked the teachers for the important role that they all play in developing these young brilliant minds.

“I concluded by saying that a good MLA knows how to lead and to delegate and still be a humble servant of and for the people.”