Ruling party whip and former union leader Ottiwell Simmons yesterday challenged adults to do more listening to the Island?s young and spend more time with their children.

Mr. Simmons also called for a civic centre for the Island?s youth and a co-ordinating body for youth-related agendas.

He made the proposals in a speech at the Rotary Club?s lunchtime meeting.

Mr. Simmons said there was no shortage of organisation?s handling youth issues but questioned whether Bermuda was seeing significant results.

?We have just about all of our 120 churches running youth programmes, the sports clubs are seriously engaged, the political parties have youth wings, the National Training Board specialises in training young people. Additionally the Ministry for youth ? and this is in addition to the Ministry of Education.

?We do not want to forget the Girl Guides and Boy Scouts,? he said.

?So the challenge of sufficient youth programmes is not in question. I do believe, however, that there is room for a co-ordinating body to ensure that these organisations and the programmes could be more effective.?

He reminded his audience that they had all been through the experience of youth, and it was almost impossible to assess how the young will turn out.

?The challenge is to establish a dialogue with our youth and set good examples for them so that they will use their skills and talents to improve our institutions and the community at large,? he continued.

?Yes it is essential that we adults listen and try to meet the needs and the wants of our youth. This bit of advice may sound simple but we all know that we are too busy lecturing, advising and instructing our youth. At the same time we are not responding to their cries.?

Anti-social behaviour among the under 40s, he said, was now an epidemic and had to be met with a sense of urgency. And he admitted that as a young father he found himself ?too busy chasing the almighty dollar bill and neglecting the simple wants of my children.

?I urge the Government, all NGOs, and all parents in Bermuda, pay as much attention to our children as we pay attention to the accumulation of wealth and this would help us to meet the challenges which beset our Island nation daily.?