MINISTER of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna says now is the time for the country’s youth to step up to the plate and take their role as the nation’s future leaders.

“You are at a defining moment in this country, so stop joining those who believe that ‘nutten nah gwaan’ in Jamaica. It is your generation that has to make something go on,” she said.

Hanna was speaking at Tuesday’s second staging of the National Children’s Summit at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.

The youth minister stressed that if the nation’s youth do not take charge, then the work that has been done in previous generations “would be for naught”.

“It is your time now. The world is not waiting on you to play catch up, so figure it out; do what is right and just get it done,” she emphasised.

Hanna welcomed the summit, noting that it is providing an opportunity for young people to add their voice to providing solutions to the problems the country face; and to help the Government define and design policy which pertain to them.