The new year has dawned and with all the resolutions being made, it is also another chance for Jamaicans to change things in on our island.

Last year will go down as one filled with many challenges. The spiralling crime rate, the murder of quite a number of police officers as well as the rising food costs and fuel prices, were all things that touched each of our lives.

The violence in schools was another area that continued to draw attention, and thankfully there have been moves devised to tackle the problem. According to a front page story in The Wednesday Gleaner, the Government will be introducing metal detectors in more than 100 schools by April.

How exactly this will stop students from bringing weapons to schools is still not clear, but we welcome the news that something is to be done about the problem.

As for the other problems, we wait to see the Government's proposals. If nothing else is addressed this year, it is clear that crime is something that must be stemmed urgently. Jamaicans are frightened and scared, and most do not want to leave, but if nothing is done, then the law-abiding citizens will flee, causing even more problems for the country.

It is a new year, and so it is a chance for Jamaicans to get it right this time. It is chance for parents, teachers, and the society to do a better job at training the next generation and tackling the problems so that Jamaica can be restored to a safe and economically thriving country.