The Reverend Al Miller worships during watch night service at Fellowship Tabernacle in Pembroke Hall, St Andrew, on Wednesday, December 31. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

Reverend Al Miller, under the National Transformation Programme's "Fresh Start for Jamaica", along with other stakeholders met with area leaders and other community members in Canaan Heights, Clarendon, to discuss the possibility of social intervention to improve opportunities for the youth.

Reverend Miller, making the first visit to a parish outside of Kingston, was accompanied by representatives from the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), Social Development Commission and president of the Canaan Heights Development Committee, Albert Bailey, better known as Jah T.

Miller visited and shared fruits with some residents from the Love Lane and Big Lane areas.

Although Canaan Heights is predominantly a People's National Party stronghold, there happens to be a rift between the lanes.

Reverend Miller met with mostly young men, most of them seasonal workers, asking them to voice their problems and offering viable solutions.

Speaking to a small crowd of youth in the yard of one area leader in Big Lane, Miller said he knew there was a problem with the community and their neighbours in Love Lane but pointed out that in order to go forward bad feelings would have to be put aside in order for growth.

Both sides have admitted to being afraid of each other.

The young men said that they needed help to make peace and needed skills training.

One of the men asked Milton Tomlinson from the PMI if a football competition, similar to one held last year, could be staged.

The PMI representative said that a lack of funds prevented another staging right now.

The young men had much to say about the many challenges they faced. The brokering of a peace treaty between the two lanes seemed high on the agenda.

According to the youth, they were willing to learn skills since no jobs were available in their areas of speciality.

Some did not welcome the option of going into farming, given the hardships that small farmers face.

Reverend Miller told the group that 'yuh hav fi help we fi help yuh' and promised to make follow-up visits to ensure that things were put in place for social upliftment and job creation.

The group asked the reverend for prayer after which they dispersed.

One very outspoken dreadlocked youth who claimed he was an artist invited Miller to his home to show off his artwork.

The reverend was very impressed with the raw talent, which showed itself in a pencilled drawing of a man sitting on the ground.

So impressed was Miller that he offered to get an artist from the Mico College, who was willing to tutor a small group of students.

Bailey of the Canaan Heights Development Committee said that his group was finalising an application to the Jamaica Social Investment Fund for money to train community members in the hospitality industry. Next Thursday at 10:00 a.m. HEART/Trust NTA officials are to meet with the committee at the Canaan Heights community centre to discuss skills training programmes.