THE GHETTO CRY

There is a woeful scarcity of noble, immaculate, sagacious, proactive politicians in this country. While they, in their pompous disposition, inadvertently articulate and intellectualize in the Houses of Parliament, the unassessed problems proliferate. The youths are turning to gangs for a sense of identity. Those looking for 'fun' and a recess from the morbid realities of their lives are turning to drugs. Crime is like a worm in the fruit of our tourism industry.

There is an emerging populace underclass of unemployed and unemployable young people who simply do not subscribe to the status quo. They are multiplying and in the next few decades they will be the majority. And our calamity might be similar to that of the Fiji Islands where the underclass of immigrants from India is now in control subsequent to their revolution. The underclass in The Bahamas predominantly are children of illegal immigrants and are not classified as a member of any state, so why should they adhere to the law of any state?

These are children of broken homes who have lost hope. Society has failed to restore that hope, as unemployment among these youths is very high and their level of literacy is low. They must be allowed to share in the Bahamian dream. The dissolving of this underclass might be the single most important investment that The Bahamas could make. A socio-economic revolution in this country is all that can save us.

The youths of Masons Addition, Strachan's Corner, Hay Street, Dumping Ground Corner, Dog Flee Alley and Dead Cat Alley - the youths of the ghettos - are crying out for help. As much as has been purported to have been done, has not nearly been accomplished. The only time the constituents of these areas see their members of Parliament is during election season when they come around making every effort to ingratiate themselves among the constituents, offering temporary relief.

Woe be unto those whose party did not win! For they shall be alienated from the benefits equally entitled to by every Bahamian. Political victimization must stop!

Our leaders cannot boast of success in improving our socio-economic dilemma. I give Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham thumbs up for addressing poverty in the Budget Debate. In spite of what the critics might say, our Commissioner of Police is doing his best, our newly elected Prime Minister is going to do his best: but there is still so much more to be done.

The problems can be resolved, but sadly, they are prolonged. There are many avenues of solidarity, which the government has the power to open. However, there have been shortages of economists, entrepreneurs and business managers in Parliament and probably too many lawyers in the past. This, I believe, has caused the lack of entrepreneurial initiative to be addressed in the ghetto. The ghetto is still crying.

June 12, 2007
Dr. Kevin Alcena