Johnson

The Editor, Sir:

I am encouraged by the positive coverage regarding solutions to poverty in Jamaica, particularly to your front page treatment on Thursday, June 12, regaling the success of the microloan programme in Bangladesh.

I left Jamaica in 1959 at the tender age of 15 years old, and after 50 years in the United States returned for my remaining 15. I have been a hospital administrator, college professor, lawyer, psychologist and most notably, for the last 21 years, the CEO of the Association of Black Cardiologists living in Atlanta, Georgia.

The selfish part of me returned to Jamaica to enjoy the unparalleled quality of life that is only available on these shores: we are offered the enjoyment of great golf and caddies, old-time religion, fabulous restaurants and food, music and dancing, our unique culture, wonderful hospitality, the ocean, sunshine and rain.

I feel tremendous pride when our fellow citizens like Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt excel, globally enhancing Jamaica's profile. The unselfish part of me wants to make a difference and leave the island better than I found it in 1943. My sense is, however, that we are sadly regressing.

A loss of the spirit

I am simply appalled at the lack of access to the means of productive assets - a loss of hope and prospect leading to a loss of spirit in many of our people. It makes me wonder if there is a national imperative to cure poverty.

I find it unacceptable that a privileged few continue to accumulate excess goods while masses of people are living in conditions of misery at the very lowest level of subsistence.

The richest one per cent own more wealth than the poorest 90 per cent. Something is terribly wrong when the elite of Jamaica are over-consumers while millions are destitute.

More provision must be made for the material security of all our citizens. This way, people will be less inclined to emigrate in search of the material security and opportunity in wealthier countries, furthering the adverse effects on our economy.

Johnson's war on poverty

In the United States, I was a Lyndon Johnson democrat. I was drawn to the idea that widespread poverty is unnecessary. If a country is to prosper, every citizen must own something and have a stake in it. Johnson's war on poverty made it possible for a large disenfranchised segment of the United States population to own their own homes, and have access to good jobs but, more important, to owning their own businesses through small business loans.

I am in no way proposing that we combat poverty by redistributing past wealth accumulations. Curing poverty can, however, be accomplished through expansion of future ownership and profit-sharing opportunities with the less privileged. Technology provides the most important opportunity for creating new wealth. Let us develop this potential and share it with the poor.

The Jamaica Government must do more to empower our people to develop and enjoy financial independence. Our economic policies as currently conceived and executed appear to achieve the opposite. Every Jamaican citizen is entitled to equal access to institutions, laws, and other 'social goods' that will empower motivated individuals to acquire and share in the productive wealth of the country. People are born not only with mouths that need to be fed, but also with hands that can produce, and minds that can create and innovate.

Honouring humanity

What motivated Lyndon Johnson was realising that if citizens cannot participate in the wealth of the country through legitimate channels, they will find a way to survive - one way or another. More important, wealth creation opportunities for everyone honour our humanity.

I am, etc,

B. WAINE KONG, Ph.D., JD

wkong@caribbeanheart.com

Executive Vice-President

Heart Institute

of the Caribbean