IN this past weekend’s Sunday Express, there was a twopage advertorial featuring the Government’s National Service programme, which falls under the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service.

I read about the purpose of Foster Cummings’ ministryhelping the youths vis-à-vis job skills and nation-building.

We learned about the various training programmes for young people aged 18 to 35.

I counted at least 16 programmes, some already existing and others to come.

Sixteen! There was even a photograph of the minister and other officials with youngsters selected for the drilling rig programme.

My question is: how many, among those who can benefit most, know about these programmes? I refer mainly to the young men in their midteens and early 20s who drifted into and out of school, and who are now liming in groups on street corners-young, strong, able-bodied, some of them making a hustle washing car windscreens, if not the cars themselves.

I will bet anyone that they don’t read newspapers. Many of them born ‘just so’ and grow up ‘just so’, the victims of weak parenting and an education system that is not geared to take up the slack.

So why is the Government not upgrading to compulsory national service, which is sure to benefit all our youths, especially those at risk? Is it fear of upsetting voters?

The only government that tried to go down that road was the NAR (National Alliance for Reconstruction), 19861991. Sadly, they ran into the ‘douglarisation’ wall. If we, the voters, are too short-sighted to realise that compulsory national service could be a big weapon in the fight against crime, at least the Government should aggressively push these programmes in the education system.

I do not mean once-a-term or once-a-year ‘caravan’ visits to selected schools. I mean a continuous push to sign up youngsters throughout the system.

Recruiting units should be a fixture in all schools. There should also be an aggressive outreach to youngsters in hot spots.

Errol Anthony
Belmont