IT IS SAID that 'the poor will always be with us'. If that is indeed so, then while they are here, we have to decide how we treat them. Regrettably, the cause of the poor has always been a handy tool for politicians currying favour with the electorate. Everyone has a solution to empower the poor. Big plans are made for their redemption but just as quickly forgotten when expedient. No wonder the poor remains with us.Last week in Parliament, Central St. Catherine MP Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, in an apparent attempt to shift the spotlight from the concerns about her alleged association with a constituent of questionable character, pleaded the cause of the poor. In a flight of fanciful rhetoric she commended herself 'for not taking the wings of a dove and fly away from them.' She then enumerated a list of wants and needs which she said must be addressed in the interest of said poor.
There is no doubt that the call for an improved quality of living for those in need is a timely one. However, the poor must also be encouraged to help themselves. The hands-out philosophy has served to bolster the 'freeness mentality' and created an atmosphere in which 'the poor' continue to be with us. Today, we even have the phenomenon of persons who claim the title of 'the poor,' erupting into rebellion against the rest of the community when they do not get what they want, when they want.
Invariably, the authorities rush to placate them and instead of calling the community to account, concessions are made, usually at the expense of other planned developments. In such a scenario, it is hard to determine the genuine poor from those who feel that the state and civil society as a whole have an obligation to fulfil their every need. We're not helped either by politicians who choose to exploit the situation to benefit their own agendas.
The real poor the old, the infirm, the neglected young must be assisted in their time of need, but stalwart, able-bodied men and women must be weaned of the notion that the rest of the community owes them a living.
For the genuine poor in Spanish Town and its environs to be helped, a halt has to be put to the criminality which is striking terror into the hearts of citizens. People cannot be productive and creative in such an atmosphere. Business cannot thrive to enable the production of wealth which will in turn create jobs and opportunities for people to advance to another level.
Miss Grange would do her constituents a great service, we would suggest, by striving with all her constituents to ensure that the scourge of crime which enslaves the constituency is abolished. A strong, clear message must be sent to elements like the 'One Order' gang, The Clan and any other outlaw group, that their regime of extortion and violence will not be tolerated. Spanish Town must be freed up to find progress, without political patronage or protection rackets. When such a status is attained, no politician will have to solicit congratulations for choosing not to 'take wings and fly.'
