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| Letter
of the Day
April 24, 2000
The ghetto is 'a state of mind' THE EDITOR, Madam: THROUGH YOU Madam Editor, I would like to address the following concerns to Gleaner columnist Rev. Webster Edwards. I have just finished reading your article in the April 17 edition of The Gleaner and wish to make the following comments: You wrote as follows: "A retrospective look on this country over the past 25 years by an objective observer, will conclude that we have not only wasted our opportunities, but have also squandered our heritage." Sir, I couldn't agree with you more. But this is basically where our agreement ends. Also, "There can be no doubt that poor governance is responsible for many of the problems which are currently being experienced in this country." You are correct when you say 'many' but I certainly wouldn't say most. The fundamental unit of every civilisation is the family, and the fundamental unit of the family is the individual. Quite frankly, there are enough individual Jamaicans in existence whose uncivilised mentality make living, working, and raising a family in Jamaica very stressful for the rest. I dare say a majority at that. "The oft-repeated question in the Kingston inner-city area is, 'why are we so poor'"? You mean the answer to this question isn't obvious? Allow me to share an insight I have gained over the years: The ghetto is not a place, it is not a race, it is not a socio-economic class either. The ghetto is a state of mind. A loser state of mind to be more specific. What would happen if we took all the people you work with in the inner city and resettled them in Beverly Hills and Norbrook, as well as hand over all the wealth to them? What if we forced all the residents in these affluent neighbourhoods into Waterhouse and Lizard Town that we just vacated. Within a couple of months, the inner city would be transformed into a respectable, neat and tidy neighbourhood with considerably less violence than it now suffers, while the formerly affluent neighbourhoods, despite all the transferred wealth, would be transformed into an urban jungle within days. When one considers the lack of morals, the per cent of children born out of wedlock, the don't care attitude toward one's family responsibilities, education of children, personal health, the environment around them and the welfare of others, both in the 'inner city' and Jamaican society at large, one wonders why this question is even considered, much more asked. It's like the poor, young woman who can hardly feed herself but who has birthed six children for six different men who don't care to support the offspring they've sired asking herself; "Is wa' mek mi life so 'ard?". You get the idea. Former US Vice President Dan Quayle was much criticised for his insistence on the need for strong families rather than on the building up of the US economy. But actually, he was 'dead on the money' because a strong economy can't exist in a weak society. And a strong society can't exist in the presence of families breaking down all over the place. We simply have to stop blaming our government for all the shortcomings of Jamaican society. A handful of imperfect men and women, even if well-intentioned cannot be reasonably expected to solve each and every ill of our nation while the rest of us sit back and relax and expect to be served. As a Jamaican in self-imposed exile here in Canada for the last few years, I have had the opportunity to observe what really makes a society work. There is no question that Canada, although far from perfect, is one of the most civilised nations existing today. But why is this? Is it because of the government? Not necessarily. There is corruption, nepotism, political favouritism and hand-outs to party loyalists just like in Jamaica... only, to a lesser extent, but it exists. Is it because Canadians are intelligent? Rubbish!!! Canadians are among the most slow-witted people I've ever met in my travels. And I hasten to add that systemic racism is very much alive and well in Canada...and European-Canadians are the only sub group in Canada who can't see it. However, I have to give them this much credit: Canadian men jump great hurdles in the interests of their families, and the mentality of the average Canadian is one that very much desires the existence of a family/child friendly civilised society, and they show it in their actions. That's why Canada prospers, while Jamaica, despite all it's inherent gifts, simply does not. I am etc., PETER D. HOPKINS |
| Obnoxious cops
THE EDITOR, Madam: I WAS coming home from my usual Tuesday night out about an hour later than usual. As usual, I walked home; as usual, I was a bit paranoid about my surroundings; and, as usual, nothing untoward happened. Nothing, that is, until I reached the top of my street. At the top of my street, I saw a car illegally parked not one car length away from the corner. I was looking at the car and saw at least one occupant, a woman in a blue top in the back seat, looking back at me. A man in the front called to me and asked me where I was coming from. My immediate thought was that these people were looking for a place toa go and so I told them. They asked what I had in my hand and I told them that they were pictures. They then asked to see the pictures. I thought this was going a bit far, so I told them no and walked away. They asked me again where I was coming from and this time I told them it was not relevant. At this point they told me to come to the car and that they were police officers. A man who I presume to be a police officer (although I did not see his badge) then came out of the car. He told me that I was rude and should know how to talk to people. This when the occupants of the car had asked me impertinent questions and made obnoxious remarks about me. I told him that when people talk to me like people I treat them like people. He then told me to lean against the car, which I did. Before he started to search me I told him that I had a knife. He looked at it, looked into my wallet and looked through my pictures. He asked me a third time where I was coming from and I told him a second time. One of the women in the car asked me again to see the pictures and I said nothing. They made further obnoxious comments about the people in the pictures. The man who claimed to be a policeman and who searched me did not steal any of my money and insisted that I look at what he was doing, and for this reason I believe he was really a policeman. He was also the least obnoxious of the people in the car. This incident furthers my belief that Jamaicans are not citizens but subjects, and that the police are our overseers and not, our guardians. I am etc., ALLAN J. D. FOREMAN 'We fear for our lives' THE EDITOR, Madam: AS A daily reader of The Gleaner Online and as a Jamaican who reluctantly migrated five years ago, I am deeply disturbed by the level of violence and the number of murders, especially the death of Shirley Playfair for unknown reasons at the time of writing. With family and friends who still live there, a shiver of fear hits me everytime my phone rings with a tone indicating a long-distance call. Almost always, my wife and I look at each other and pray aloud that the caller will not be bearing bad news. Jamaica is still our home. Unfortunately, many of us are unwilling to make the effort to assist in rebuilding our country, not because we lack the necessary skills, but simply because we fear for our lives. How productive can we be when we are constantly in fear of being attacked? How can we think clearly when we are constantly wondering if our loved ones will come home safely? What can we contribute if we are likely to be killed? What future can we offer our children when they are exposed daily to some form of violence? A writer in today's edition (April 19) urges "those who can, to leave Jamaica". My objective is not to predict doom but to send a wake-up call to the Government and Jamaicans in general. If we have no intention of coming home we certainly won't remit funds and if we stop visiting, sooner or later, tourists will too. Add to the monetary loss the cost of social, technological and other resources that will no longer be made available. What will happen then? Nuff said. I am etc., D. C. ANDERSON Cargill will be missed THE EDITOR, Madam: IT IS with a heavy heart that I read about the death of Mr Cargill. While I never met him, I always read his column during my stay in Jamaica. His sense of humour was always delightful and when I left Jamaica I kept on reading his work via the Net. May he rest in peace. I am etc, NYRON SEATON Water distribution in Sligoville THE EDITOR, Madam: SLIGOVILLE AREA, in St. Catherine, as many other areas across the island, is stricken by severe drought conditions at this time, as it has been for many a month. As an area that historically depends on rainfall as the only source of water supply, this long-lasting period of drought has brought devastation upon residents, their crops, animals and the natural vegetation in these parts. Difficulty in getting a bucketful of water is increasing with each passing day. Water trucks sometimes distribute water to some residents here. But the amount of water available has never once been enough for everyone in dire need of the precious fluid. Infrequency of trucked water, however, is compounded with political partisan bias, whereas, deliveries of water are made to 'politically right' persons or villages around. Rumours fly hereabouts that trucked water, intended to be distributed on a gate to gate basis, are sometimes sold to individual persons who can afford to pay cash for the whole or part of a load of water. The Councillor of Sligoville Division, Owen Stephenson, ought soon to examine the 'system' now in place to see if a change of method would enable regular deliveries of water to reach all of the people in these parts of his Division. I am, etc., SYLVESTER AYRE All are culpable towards Street People THE EDITOR, Madam: I ABHOR the holier-than-thou attitude that some Kingstonians have adopted towards Montegonians over the 'Street People affair'. I remember a time when the frustration about the 'Street People' in Kingston had reached saturation point. Pushcart boys were applauded by people in the street when they hunted down 'Street People' grabbed them and dumped them into their push carts and gleefully carted them off to the asylum declaring that they were being paid so much a head. I did not hear any protest then. We all have sinned (sins of commission and omission) and fallen short of our brotherly obligations of charity and love towards our brothers and sisters who have slipped. If we stop seeking scapegoats and accept our responsibilities then redemption is just around the corner. I am, etc., MANLEY E. LUMSDEN
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