THERE IS AN astoundingly high level of selfishness, hypocrisy and corruption in this country. The most unbelievable thing about it though, is that we all go about our daily lives and pretend that these things do not exist and therefore allow them to become entrenched in the society.
Cognisant that this is so and that the youth are very vulnerable when it comes to these practices, the unreasonable, audacious calls for increasing the birth rate ring hollow, in light of the fact that our youth are failing badly because of the putridity which we have nurtured them in, and there is seemingly no intention anytime soon Of rectifying the system as it is.
It makes no sense pointing fingers either, because we all must share the blame for how we have perpetuated a vile, rotten system of life in this country.
It has caused successive generations of young people to be hopeless, have low self-esteem, have no confidence and feel worthless. As a result, they have become emotionally and psychologically sclerotic, to the extent that “innocent” people fall victims to the conspicuous consumption and expensive accoutrements, which we encouraged them to aspire to have.
In the newspaper recently, many examples of corruption were highlighted but we all know there are countless others besides those of the leadership and business elite.
From educators who demotivate, law enforcement who violate and fail to rehabilitate, social workers from whose responsibilities they deviate, parents and guardians who abdicate, castrate and desecrate, to the average bystanders who berate and humiliate our youth, who then, faced with this quagmire, seek their own anti-social solutions in order to realise their life chances.
The conservatism in this society, stifling as it is, must not prevent every Barbadian from agitating for integrity, transparency and equality for all.
We cannot continue to treat people as commodities. We all have to play our part to truly democratise this country of ours. The alternative is chaos and anarchy.
– IAN A. MARSHALL