Dr. Peter Wellington (left) speaks with John Issa, chairman of the SuperClubs Super-Inclusive resorts chain, during the annual awards banquet of the Association of Surgeons in Jamaica at the Knutsford Court Hotel, in New Kingston, on Saturday night. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

JOHN ISSA, chairman of the SuperClubs Super-Inclusive resorts chain, says he believes the nation needs to pay more attention to the education system in Jamaica, if the society is to move forward.

Mr. Issa said on the weekend that he believes the future of the nation is in danger if Jamaica does not address its youth.

He was speaking at the annual awards banquet of the Association of Surgeons in Jamaica, held Saturday night at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.

Breakdown in discipline

Pointing to several incidents of indiscipline involving the nation's youth, Mr. Issa said a number of factors have contributed to the breakdown in discipline. He attri-buted some of these factors to the urbanisation of the Jamaican society which he said has led to the breakdown in the family structure.

He said the family is then replaced in the life of the youth by the streets, as parents have to earn a living.

"The street becomes their home and street life becomes their teacher," Mr. Issa said.

The SuperClubs boss said he believes that children are short-changed and deviant behaviour as a result becomes a product of all these factors.

Stop paying lip service

Mr. Issa is also calling on the two major political parties to stop paying "lip service" to education.

"Now is the time for action or our island won't have a civilised future," he said.

Mr. Issa noted that those countries with high standards of living and strong economic bases in the world have sound educational practices and systems and, if Jamaica is to achieve the same, it would have to start investing in its most important resource, its citizens.

Mr. Issa said the excuse of not having money to fund the education system is not a viable excuse for the current state of the system.

Senior medical officer at the Mandeville Hospital, Dr. Peter Wellington, was honoured at the event for his contribution to the field of surgery and health care in the country.