Opening seen for Jaycee in Asia

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32874, 24 March 1972, Page 10

Opening seen for Jaycee in Asia

New Zealand Jaycees could play an effective part in South-East Asia just as they had done previously in Africa and in India, said the world organisation’s executive vicepresident (Mr L. A. R. Banarsee) in Christchurch yesterday.

He said that the Jaycee movement in Asia was not as strong as it might be, and development teams from places such as Australia, India and New Zealand could help to expand the movement which could play its part in local community projects and programmes. Since -New Zealand teams went to India in 1965-67 the Jaycee movement had grown considerably there. Although the costs of sending teams might seem expensive, the problem was not whether the movement could afford to send them

but whether it could afford not to. Distances between countries no longer guaranteed anything. What mattered was ideas which, with modem communications, travelled fast. In a fast-moving world it was wise to recognise change and become a part of it. Mr Banarsee, who is from Kingston, Jamaica, said his main purpose in being in New Zealand was to discuss

topics of interest with local chapters, perhaps to get new ideas from here that might be applicable elsewhere, and for good will. He forecast that whether the all-male movements in New Zealand and some other countries liked it or not, women would be admitted as full members before much longer. In some countries female Jaycees were already admitted. In Jamaica there were chapters with male members, male and female members, and even one . With female members which refused to accept men. One of the strong Jaycee countries, said Mr Bamasee, was South Africa although no black members were permitted by the Government.

The movement felt badly about it but was powerless to do anything. “We can only move within the laws of a country. Under discussion at present is a plan for the development of a similar type of organisation to Jaycee for black Africans,’* he said. Yesterday Mr Banarsee spoke at, a luncheon meeting for him attended by metropolitan Christchurch chapters.