Dear Pastor,

May God's richest blessings be with you at all times as you guide us through our day-to-day challenges. As we continue to face some serious problems in Jamaica, particularly with the high crime rate and unemployment, we need immediate strategic and collective efforts to take us out of this ongoing socio-economic crisis. Far too many youths and adults lack access to jobs and or job training in Jamaica.

Jobs are critical to improving Jamaica's socio-economic dilemma, as employment will motivate our citizens to lift themselves out of poverty and despair. Furthermore, because poor economic conditions are highly to blame for unsatisfactory educational outcomes among our youths and adults, and our high crime rates are associated with high unemployment, we must seek solutions that will create long-term employment opportunities to help improve our educational outcomes and reduce crime rate in Jamaica.

Here are some suggestions: We can implement simple programmes in which employers and schools (high school to university) join in partnerships. Such a programme would allow students to get practical experience from employers while they are still attending school and upon graduation, students are placed where their studies are most suited.

Another option can be the implementation of job training in which, under strict guidelines and monitoring, the government offers wage subsidies to employers who hire trained workers and keep them employed full-time. If the government could put a plan in action starting with these two suggestions which I have mentioned, we will definitely start to see some progress in Jamaica. The suggestions are some of the programmes that work very well in North America and they can work for Jamaica as well.

It is time we stop talking about Jamaica's high crime rate and unemployment and start creating jobs. Job creation is the key to reducing crime and to increase our educational outcomes for a brighter future.

Loyal Jamaican

Dear Loyal Jamaican,

Thanks for your letter. You are concerned about the high crime rate and unemployment, which is everybody's business in Jamaica, so you are not alone. I therefore suggest that you send your letter to the prime minister, the minister of education and the minister of youth and culture. I hope they will respond to you. I wish you well, sir.

Pastor