Nassau, The Bahamas - Leadership mentoring of young politicians through the Local Government Junior Council Pilot Project is the Government's strategy to strengthen Bahamian democracy.

"The idea for the Local Government Junior Council was born out of two instances during my first visits to various Local Government Town Committees and Councils in 2008," said Byran Woodside, Minister of State for Lands and Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister.

"First, it was apparent that there was a need for capacity building in the pool of persons offering themselves for election. Since the inception of the elected form of Local Government in 1996...