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Dr. Chang Calls for Mentors for Young Men

July 6, 2009

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Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, has pointed to the need for more successful Jamaicans to become mentors for the country’s young people, especially the males.
“Mentoring is an important part of growing our young people in Jamaica today, and that is particularly true for our young men,” Dr. Chang stated, as he addressed the annual banquet of the Green Island High School Alumni of North America, held on July 4 at the Negril Hills Golf Club in Westmoreland.
According to Dr. Chang, a large number of Jamaican males grow up in single mother households, and some of them drop out of school before grade nine, and were at risk of becoming involved in crime.
They need the influence of role models, who could have a positive impact on their thinking, and so curtail the country’s high crime rate, he said, noting that about 90 per cent of homicides were committed by youngsters between 15 and 25 years old.
He urged organisations, such as alumni associations, to get involved in mentoring, as students need to see and associate with hard working and successful people from the communities that they live in and the schools that they attend.
“I think part of it is to get our young males focussed on education and a more productive lifestyle, and those of us who have succeeded outside of the school, need to go back and mentor some of these young men. We have to try to reverse the trend and all of us can help,” stated Dr. Chang, who is also Member of Parliament for North West St. James.
The banquet was part of the Green Island High School’s 40th anniversary celebrations this year.

Last Updated: August 26, 2013

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