THE EDITOR, Sir:
OVER TWO decades ago, the Reverend Neville Callam, then president of the Jamaica Baptist Union, at a particular venue in St. James, preached a message that has lingered in my mind all these years.
Bemoaning the slow growth in membership of the denomination, he cited among the contributing factors the failure of the denomination to harness the talents of the youths, hence, the young people had strayed. As he highlighted this worrying issue he lamented, "We have sown the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind"; the lament from Hosea 8:7.
DIRE STRAITS
As I reflect that message and examine the dire economic and moral straits into which Jamaica has fallen, I think how relevant this message would be to our politicians. If their consciences are alive and they were to be honest, then they would hang their heads in shame for the havoc they have wreaked in this country all in the name of self-gratification.
You wonder why crime and violence is so rampant in our society and so many of our people are illiterate? "We have sown the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind."
'POLITICS OF CHANGE'
Among the many texts we were assigned to read at the tertiary level was Michael Manley's Politics of Change. In that book, I remember well Manley's ideas on the benefits of building a country's human resource, and his emphasis on quality education for the masses.
Despite the undeniable weaknesses of the PNP government under the leadership of Michael Manley, had this country at least bought into the idea of providing quality education for the masses and perpetuated same, this country would be better off today.
I am, etc.,
IVY ISAACS-BULGIN
stone5947@yahoo.com
PO Box 15, Sign P.O.,
St. James
Via Go-Jamaica
