On my morning programme on HITZ FM earlier this week, I said that our intellectuals and technocrats are failing us. We have plenty of social issues and many wants and needs as it pertains to guiding our young people, but there is an absence of practical solutions, or initiatives to arrest juvenile delinquency.
Most parents being single and burdened with the survival of the family unit cannot commit the extra time to assist their children in shaping their lives. There are a few private efforts, but it usually comes at a cost, and the state’s development plans do not seem to include providing safety nets for children.
Throughout the year, for political mileage, many outlets and units such as community centers, playing fields, basketball and tennis courts have been built or erected, but no comprehensive training, or workshops have been established at a consistent level — especially on occasions when there are school holidays, summer breaks or evenings after school, and weekends.
We tell and ask the children to go out and play, build new friendships, mingle and get involved with other children, especially from the community, but with no motivation.
We often talk about unemployment, especially among the youth, but still don’t engage them in contributing to our social growth.
Departments of varying types fall short of enforcing programmes of enlightenment or progressive training.
Monies are solicited and begged for all kinds of concrete and steel projects, but the human element of growth is usually omitted.
The rest of the world is moving on, technological gadgets make information more available at our finger tips, yet we sit back and wait for foreign interests to guide our path, or invest in our future. As usual, we are waiting for some high-paying consultants to advise us, or set the foundation, or better yet, come up with the funds. And sometimes, even when we are given the needed help, we squander, misappropriate, or embezzle the funds, or redirect the funds for political mileage.
We travel and visit worlds that have so many modules to borrow from, but seldom see the need for implementation at home. We forever look for miracles to deal with the issues, but will not put our shoulders to the wheel.
I know that part of our colonial past has made us dependent, but the world around us is rapidly changing, and if we do not do for ourselves, we will be left behind.
Money is essential, but education is the key to success. Not everyone can be self-motivated and the schools and existing learning institutions lack forward-planning or thinking outside the box and in most communities, few choose to commit, unless they are being handsomely rewarded, or see the means of using their input to possibly vie for becoming a candidate for one of the two parties.
Although some businesses may support or sponsor, without prudent planning about what is there to invest in, unless it is a scheme to enrich one personally. We lack caring, we have no drive, we lack commitment and we are all out of love for our fellow man. But if we do show interest, it’s about how much we will get paid, but never about contributing to today’s children, in preparation for tomorrow.
It will be so nice for some people to leave a legacy, to be remembered long after death for the good deeds they had done, to be remembered for one’s contribution, but so often it is about self, family and close friends.
What a sad state of affairs.