Is our nation losing its soul?

THE EDITOR: It is usually expressed that the soul of a nation is its people. This is because, of all living things, the human resource stands out as an entity of much priceless value. In other words, the Supreme Being has created man not only to have dominion over the so-called lesser creatures, but mainly to utilise his intellect and will to shape and reshape social conditions for the enhancement of all people.

Could we truly say that our multicultural, rainbow people are valued and given the respect they rightfully deserve? Having walked through the capital city umpteen times, I have come to the conclusion that there needs to be urgent action by the relevant authority to stem the rising tide of vagrancy. This unfortunate development is presenting a dismal picture, especially as our country faces the arrival of highly fatal covid19 variants.

Vagrants need to be off the streets at this time or else they may become vehicles of the deadly contagion. They ought to be placed in safe quarters since the majority of them are unvaccinated. As human beings created in the image and likeness of the Almighty, they do deserve to be acculturated into the norms, values and customs of society. Many of them, when rehabilitated, may in time become valued contributors of society.

Broadly speaking, from a human rights perspective, should not the law of the land be made to act without interruption or obstacle in doing best what requires to be done to improve the life of street dwellers? We must be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. As avid nation builders, we must agree that there is no place for vagrancy in our small nation and that we must strive towards the preservation of our soul.

LINDSEY RAMPERSAD

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