I BELIEVE THAT I can confidently and safely posit that no one likes to fail. However, many of us have at some time or the other have felt the stinging reality of failing to meet the required standard in one area of our lives or the other. Maybe as you read you are calling one or two instances to mind – that course at school, that attempt at a sports team,mor that daunting driver’s licence test. Failing is not desirable and it is simply not ideal.
The fear of failure is probably one of the most widespread and common fears affecting most human beings to varying degrees; for some, it is crippling and for many others it is just an internal, mental position that says I will not accept a failure in this area of my life. In spite of all of this desire to succeed at everything, it seems that we here in Barbados have become quite comfortable flirting with failure on a national and indeed societal level.
Let us take a quick look at three aspects of our society that I believe are currently failing us and if allowed to continue functioning as they presently do, can very likely lead to the failure of our country as a whole.
What is going on with our judicial system, which includes our lawmakers, the courts and individuals who interpret the laws and the enforcers of said laws. Something is inherently and philosophically wrong when a person is seen in handcuffs “hailing” friends, loved ones and even fans on their way to and from a court.
By this time the “appropriate” penalty is so far removed from the offence that there is not likely to be a full understanding of why it is wrong in the mind of the guilty party. This is flawed. Justice should be swift and fair and those choosing to operate outside of our established laws should not think it a joyful experience to face the music in court.
Let’s look at our educational system. Whitney Houston sang it best but I believe that most of us already knew that our children are our future. Why is it therefore, that we continue to submit our children to a system that is working against many of them and their future success?
Over many years Barbados has been able to boast about an educational system that can rival those of far more established countries but on the flip side of this, this system has failed many “hardback” adults who cannot read or write. Many young boys and girls who drop out as teenagers and find a life hustling on the streets more advantageous and appealing and far too many pass through the system without being inspired to believe in themselves and to dream big dreams. It may seem small to some but this system needs to be revamped to ensure that no one is left behind.
Finally, our religious system – something is severely wrong when leaders of churches in Barbados can think it appropriate in this day and age to build million-dollar buildings and host events for hundreds of thousands of dollars while many people do not have food to eat, clothes to wear or places to sleep. Let us aim to have none hungry, homeless, helpless and begging in this society by 2020. This should be led forcefully by the church.
We, as the people of this nation, need to look purposefully at these elements of our society to ensure that they do not fail. Every failure in these and all other areas gives us a future less bright and promising.
– Davidson Ishmael
