Government Senator Navel Clarke moved the following resolution in the Senate last Friday:
Whereas young persons in Jamaica between the ages of 15 and 24 constitute 17.94 per cent of the population, and thereby representing the future participants in the social and economic activities of the nation; and
Whereas these young persons, many of whom after leaving school have difficulty in obtaining meaningful employment either through lack of required educational qualifications or necessary skills; and
Whereas such persons could by reason of said difficulty become exposed to or involved in activities that are inconsistent with the rules of law, such as crime and violence; and
Whereas it is the responsibility of the adult population to ensure that the young have adequate opportunity for survival and development in the society into which they were brought; and
Whereas these young persons would require education, training and discipline to prepare them to make meaningful contributions to the advancement of a quality of life that detracts them from the anti-social and illegal activities of crime and violence:
Be it resolved that this Honourable Senate call upon the Government to enact legislation for the bringing into being of a compulsory National Service in Jamaica for young persons of the ages 15-24 who have left the school system and are not seeking to further their education up to tertiary level, or have entered into apprenticeship or skills training;
Be it further resolved that such compulsory National Service shall include exposure to appropriate attitude and aptitude assessment for placement into various programmes including army/cadet training, HEART/NTA, automotive, agriculture, construction, health and education.
