U.S. top diplomat Nick Perry urges Jamaican youth to steer clear of gangs, crime
/ Our Today
administrator
US Ambassador to Jamaica N. Nickolas Perry, on Thursday, January 25, issued a call for Jamaican youth to steer clear of crime and gang involvement.
Speaking during a ceremony commemorating the donation of musical equipment to the Flanker Primary School in Montego Bay, St James, Perry shared his journey from humble beginnings to diplomatic heights.
He underscored the importance of positive choices and resilience in the face of adversity while highlighting the influence of positive role models in shaping the future of the youth.
“I am here before you today as the US Ambassador in the country I was born in; isn’t that great? That’s a position… that’s a career [albeit] a challenging one. As someone who was born in this country, I know of the challenges that you face as I faced similar challenges growing up. I went to an elementary school like you, Greenwich Town Elementary School,” shared Perry.
“I grew up in a poor family, 11 of us: 10 brothers and a sister. We mostly ended up living in America and now I am back living in Jamaica. This is an unusual situation, as I was born and raised in Jamaica. I moved and lived in the United States, becoming a citizen which made me eligible for the position I am in today. Probably if I had stayed in Jamaica and push[ed] all my drive towards working in Government, then I probably would have been recommended to be [Jamaica’s] ambassador somewhere [else],” he continued.
Perry emphasised the dangers of gang membership and the importance of avoiding it. He also advised students to pay keen attention to what they are being taught, imploring them to read and understand history, especially of their country and the Caribbean as a whole.
He said, “Jamaica is in the Caribbean, and when people talk about you living in America’s backyard that’s a misnomer. You live in America’s frontyard- we care about your future [and] we care about your education.”
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