Shari-Ann Henry spared no expense to jet off to Jamaica for the annual People’s National Party (PNP) Conference last Sunday. The fashionable Henry wore an orange dress from BCB Generation, with a front cut that drew the attention of many to her Instagram page (@sharimelaninofficial), which she captioned “Fi mi navel string cut pon PNP and I had to fly een!”

Despite juggling her rigorous studies at Osgoode Hall Law School in Canada, Henry’s dedication led her to make the journey to Jamaica mainly for this conference.

“As a Comrade and socialist, I would have been motivated and inspired to attend the annual conference. The truth is, I had classes up to Friday, and I travelled to Jamaica on Saturday to not miss our 85th Annual Conference. As long as I can come, I will come. I had to come to watch my Comrades, more so the Comrade leader lay the wicket of what’s next to come when we form the next government,” said Henry.

“The critical policies discussed surrounding crime, constitutional reform and agriculture would have also sparked my interest. I knew it would have been one of the most spectacular conferences that the party would have held, and although we have adapted to the virtual world, watching virtually is not the same as being there in person,” she added.

Hailing from the Torrington Park community of South St Andrew, the same constituency represented by the party’s leader, Mark Golding, Henry also serves a member of the International and Diaspora Affairs Commission for the PNP. She believes that youth have an opportunity to lead in political spaces.

“Discover your political niche, affiliate with the party and develop and maximise it to the fullest. Surround yourself with the right political mentors and they will guide you accordingly,” she advised. “The support is there, but one must be brave, determined and intentional.”

Henry opined that overall, the conference was a good one and that there was a lot more confidence in Golding’s presentation.