Naar ... No well-run private sector company would dare to exist without such a department. - file

The General Manager of Churches Co-operative Credit Union, Basil Naar, has challenged the Government to "think outside the box", and establish a ministry of human resources development to focus specifically on nurturing and unleashing the potential of the island's human capital.

"No well-run private sector company would dare to exist without such a department. So why do we have the largest business in Jamaica (the Government) without one?" he asked.

In a wide-ranging presentation to members of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North on Monday night, Mr. Naar said Jamaica would never be a safe haven for anyone or anything to grow if the development of the island's human capital does not become priority.

"Investing in this area is not only the best long-term investment," he said, "but a main pillar for something that we yearn for - that is a society where every Jamaican can die peacefully in his or her bed."

In identifying a way of financing the national human resources development thrust, the Churches Co-operative Credit Union head appealed to companies, which repatriated the "formidable amount" of J$51 billion in capital from the island, to come forward to assist. "Some of the capital represents payment of dividends to foreign investors, and rightly so, but a great portion goes to places that are considered by Jamaicans to be safer havens than this island and, in an indirect way, assist those outside of Jamaica to grow while our communities fall apart," he argued.

Investment in communities

In fact, Mr. Naar said he would like to see businesses invest automatically in the education of members of the communities in which they operate as a matter of course. Mr. Naar, who is also chairman of the Charlie Smith High School in Trench Town, declared his intimate knowledge of the endless cycle of violence and the waste of human capital, especially in the inner-city communities.

"There is a huge festering monster in our society that is growing every day. It is the unholy trinity of poverty, violence and hopelessness," he said, noting further that the "monster" feeds on itself and expands to foster people who are antisocial misfits, who have no intention of cooperating with the rest of society.

In declaring that it was now time for action, Mr. Naar said the business community had to assist the Government in stemming the deterioration of human capital in the society by providing opportunities for people to lead meaningful and productive lives which would allow them to provide for themselves and their dependants.