When Did Jamaica Get Poor?

-
Jamaica Flag
The Caribbean Is One Nation.


    When did Jamaica get poor?
  by Ruel E. Lowe

 In a time when more children/young adults are attending secondary and tertiary institutions, instead of the country/society ascending, it is declining socially and financially! That is rather puzzling, actually that defies logic! 

Digressing for a moment, I have always believed the all we need to know is revealed to us and around us, but, many of us lack the ability to discern/observe/comprehend/accept. Should we take time out to take a close look at the society today, it will become apparent that there has been gradual erosion of the moral fabric/foundation, a loss of the work ethics past generations were famous for have been replaced by scams, trickery, begging, violence and crime. I could give examples of each, but we are well aware of our shortcomings and issues. 

Our music which has always been our thermometer and barometer, is the ideal story teller of the society, it will give us an indication/insight of the direction the society is moving into. A generation ago the music had a soothing/calming/melodious flavor to it. You would be able to listen to artists/groups such as Alton Ellis, Lord Creator, Keith and Enid, the Gaylads, the Paragons and numerous others, their music would have such a calming, soothing positive effect on you! The music was more universal, in that it could, be enjoyed and appreciated by many all around the world. Today’s music has a more combative, and seems to be designed for local consumption only!

A generation or more ago we might have been financially challenged and lacking in opportunity, but we were rich with self-confidence, class, vision, and dignity. Today while the society has many more graduates, and professionals, we tend to be lacking the entrepreneurial spirit, and there is no tradition of giving-back in order to raise the lower strata of the society. Those who have achieved academic accomplishment, seem to be more interested in receiving accolades and praise, rather that providing opportunities for advancement to the less fortunate and tend to use their education as a whip, to chastise the poor.
That is when in my humble opinion is, when we started down the slippery slope of poverty.

Ruel  E. Lowe is a social commentator.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Me and V: a personal introduction to gay tolerance

-
Image
One Caribbean Nation. By William Skinner Me and V: a personal introduction to gay tolerance I must have been around nine or ten years old. V was a well-known gay citizen, who lived in my beloved hometown of Britton’s Hill, in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados. My earliest recollection of V was his apparent penchant for dressing in white. I seldom saw him in a long pants, and he walked with an amazing rhythm. Even at that early age, I realized that he was very effeminate. He always seemed busy   out and about in the Brittons Hill area and it was obvious that everybody knew him, and his notoriety was island wide. I also noticed that he was always exceptionally clean. Later, I would learn that he was also known as a popular pudding and souse vendor, who carried on his trade in the vicinity of Nelson Street, in the city. He was well loved and respected in Britton’s Hill; along with that respect came good-natured heckling. One day, around midafternoon, about three of my childhoo
Read more

International Women's Day : Our Caribbean Women, Our Hope

-
Image
One Caribbean Nation As we celebrate International Womens’ Day, we are cognizant of the role our Caribbean women have played in the cultural social and economic growth of our region and evolving Caribbean civilization. They , like our men , have risen from the depths and decadence of slavery , to the highest political and corporate ladders in the region. They have given birth, to millions and have made and continue to make significant contributions to those in the Diaspora. In many cases, where they were not the biological mothers, they nurtured, cared and developed those , who were deprived of parenthood , and socio-economic hope. They are in our classrooms, directing young and fragile minds , how to navigate a world that we in the region , must forever avoid being dragged into conflicts of the so-called super powers. They are pursuing all the opportunities of our tertiary educational institutions, including the University of the West Undies, often in higher numbers than our men. I
Read more

Barbados Elections 2013 and Cash

-
Image
The Mahogany Coconut Group submits that the real vote buying is in the upper echelons of our society. What we witnessed on Election Day was some voters getting   cash, cell phones, IPods and a bill paid here and there. The real votes were bought by those shadows- black and white, - who Dr. Don Blackman referred to a few decades ago! Of course Dr. Blackman talked only about white shadows but the corporate landscape has dramatically changed over the years – we now have shadows of all colors and ethnicities. While we shout from the roof tops about what took place on elections day, we bury our heads in the proverbial sand, by refusing to ask one simple question: How did the two political parties, both claiming to be rather financially impoverished, raise a conservative estimate of over twenty million dollars to pour into a three week campaign? We ask Dale Marshall (BLP) to tell us about the successful “cake sales and car washes” that raised their money. We ask Ronald Jones (DLP) to t
Read more