A nation of beggars

THE EDITOR: On April 10 at approximately 8 am I was struck by two developments on the way to an ATM in the South: one, three sets of people begging for alms from customers to the bank like myself and two, numerous small billboards lining the road to the bank urging passers by “Not to be Silent” for there are “monsters” among us.

As to the first, there was a mother who mumbled something about losing her home, accompanied by two daughters about 14 and 16, who were there seemingly to draw sympathy, but who hardly played that role with their constant chatter, and then an old woman sitting aback with a forlorn look on her face, her hands outstretched appealing without words, and yet another whose muttering eluded me as I had already gone past.

I give these details because they were not like the usual lot on Mucurapo or High Street in town, unkempt, looking for a handout for a meal or a cigarette. They were ordinary people like you and I, putting aside their shame and self-respect to solicit help, simply because they were driven to such out of sheer necessity.

Is this what we have become, a nation of beggars? How ironic, for I heard it said from high up that we should never beg. You may say that this is an exaggeration or an odd few, but what of the increasing numbers ringing you door bell on a daily basis looking for hand-outs, not to mention the “hordes” of Venes who have joined the line?

And the unemployed are no less, for how many can vend from makeshift stalls or sell doubles or run PH or use their newly minted vans to now peddle vegetables, for the installment has to be paid and the children have to be taken care of? How many of our women must now prostitute themselves or take dangerous night jobs just to feed their young ones?

Covid19 has made a hell for all us. But can the Government continue to rely on its existing relief structures such as grants etc to deal with what is obviously a new phenomenon in our lives? Would it be as comprehensive and creative as necessary in finding new ways to deal with this new flood of the poor and would we, on the personal level, now dig deeper into our humanity to help a brother? The answer to such questions is blowing in the wind.

As to the second, the exhortation on numerous billboards that we should not “remain Silent for there is a Monster among us,” the question is, which monster and is it listening to the cries of the people? Is it the unconscionable criminal that continues to rape and murder our women, evidently indifferent to all the protests, marches and vigils for the Andrea Bharatts and Ashanti Rileys who have fallen victims?

Or is it our inept judicial system which in all its functions is woefully wanting in the fair, just and timely application of the law, despite the cries from the affected? Or is it the politicians, put there to serve us but who instead serve themselves, continuing in their “game of thrones,” full in the knowledge that we will vote them back in simply because of the colour of their skin and the texture of their hair, no matter what they say or what they do?

Or is it the exploitative businessman or those slowly strangling our children by keeping them out of the classroom or the “professional” sucking the blood of the poor with their exorbitant fees, or is it simply the malicious neighbour next door?

Are we a nation of monsters as much we seem to be a nation of beggars?

“Evil prevails,” they say, “when good men are silent,” but with the deafening silence all around, will those that should hear ever do, far less listen?

As usual I leave that answer to you.

DR ERROL N BENJAMIN

via e-mail