Letter of the Day | Social investment in youth: a national imperative

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Jamaica is a young nation – over 60 per cent of our population is under 30 years old. Yet despite years of political rhetoric declaring youth as ‘the future’ real, sustained investment in their development remains dangerously inadequate.

What we face is not a talent deficit but a crisis of opportunity. Many young Jamaicans lack access to quality education, face chronic unemployment, and are exposed to cycles of violence and trauma. These conditions create not just individual hardship but a national emergency.

‘Social investment in youth’ must be more than a slogan. It must involve targeted policies that build human capital, strengthen social protection, and create safe, inclusive spaces. Initiatives including the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), school feeding, skills training, youth business grants, and mental health services must be expanded and better integrated across sectors. Community youth centres and cultural hubs should be fully funded and accessible, especially in marginalised areas.

The cost of inaction is steep. High rates of youth unemployment, school drop-outs, and crime threaten our social fabric and economic future. Every dollar spent on education, mental wellness, and job readiness saves exponentially more in crime, health care, and lost productivity.

I urge our leaders to establish a National Youth Investment Fund, institutionalise youth representation in policy-making, and scale up services that meet young people where they are.

Investing in youth is not charity – it’s nation-building. The children in our communities deserve more than photo ops and promises. They deserve systems that protect, empower, and uplift them – not someday, but now.

GRAHAM EVANGELIST JR