What’s gone wrong with this country?
THE EDITOR: We need to go back to basics, as one of our own sons of the soil calypsonian Rio sang in song a few years ago. Where must we start? I say at home. How many of us "parents" are raising children the old fashioned way? Our parents must have been doing something right for there was not even a quarter of the rapes, incest, drugs, murders, and kidnappings as we see so prevalent in our society today. What did they do? For one thing, most mothers were at home, nurturing their children, providing them with a deep spiritual foundation, responsibility around the home, very tapered or almost no social recreational time and most homes consisted of both parents, some even had grandparents, so there was always adult supervision. Neighbours also played a major part in overseeing that all went well, anywhere, any time. What are the parents of today doing different? Firstly we have children who have not even discovered themselves having babies. It’s a fad you know, they come outside on evenings with their babies dressed from head to toe in brand name attire, it’s a big show, and when the cuteness wears off, the absence and abuse starts. Most mothers today are working or have left have the home to travel abroad in search of more dollars and think that a barrel with the latest clothes and best brand of shoes will fill the void. We refer to these children as barrel children. We have parents dropping off their children to the malls, Movie Towne with cell phones and bankcards and no adult supervision at hours when they should long be in bed. Children ages 11-17 partying and roaming the streets after dark. Neighbours can no longer talk to, or reprimand children. Parents,’ both mothers and fathers, absence from the home and lack of parental control over their children is responsible for the delinquency. Being a single parent does not help the situation any. All the fundamentals have changed, there is no wonder the nation is in the state that it’s in. Even our leaders are faltering by not setting the right example for the youths of the nation, and making excuses for their behaviour by saying there is a special political code. What utter rubbish! HAZEL ANNE HUGGINS Marabella
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"What’s gone wrong with this country?"