Former minister of environment and national service Lincoln Myers says the establishment of a national service scheme "is long overdue." He was responding to one of the recommendations from the Cabinet-appointed Youth at Risk Committee.
Myers said, "It is a bit painful to hear Selwyn Ryan calling for it now. What is happening in the society with the youth population, it was very clear where we are heading. I find it so unfortunate so many of the elites in the society and so many with narrow communal interests sought to discredit it and work against establishing a national service which was needed."
Against the backdrop of Patriotism Week, Myers said an early intervention would have achieved the results which the Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration intended."It was meant to get young people to commit to their homeland. There was an ad hoc programme. When the PNM came in, they did not carry through with it though they met an ongoing programme. They have taken elements and developed MILAT and different social programmes."
Myers said, "We hope this Government would see the validity, then maybe it would help to save the young people and save T&T." Among the countries which have implemented national service are India, Venezuela and Guyana.