There was a story on page two of Monday's Gleaner that should serve to motivate some young people and at the same time expose the incompetence in others.

The story is about a 19-year-old young woman who has become a successful farmer and entrepreneur in St. Mary and because of her success, she has bought a house.

She currently owns hundreds of chickens, several acres of crops and supervises 16 workers. This is quite an achievement and we must commend this young lady for doing well at a time when most young people seem to choose idleness as a career instead of working hard.

Many young people in Jamaica seemed to have caught the 'pan di corner syndrome'. Symptoms of this syndrome involves sitting on the corner everyday, smoking, getting into mischief and begging.

Huge successes

This young woman has proven however that a strong will to work and to be successful can reap huge successes.

Therefore, there is no excuse for these youth who sit on the corner waiting for handouts to be doing so. Some of them in the rural Jamaica have land which they can farm, however they choose to beg because they do not want to get dirty.

Even those in the urban areas, have options to get a skill , but think too highly of themselves to do just any kind of work. It is full time that these young people wake up and realise that whatever they want in life, they will have to work hard for it.

The government should also help to discourage the practice. Punish those young people who sit idly on the corner. Help them to realise that life is not easy, but they too can be successful if they work hard.