Seek Out Solutions

The role of government and society is not to cure inequality and poverty- they would only be reacting to a more systemic problem. However, if the reason for poverty and inequality is the failure of government and society to fulfill their roles in other areas, there should be calls for better policies in those areas of government and society that would improve the conditions. Poverty and inequality is a failure of government and society in the areas of education, welfare, tax policy, and accountability in the political structure of the government. The details of government’s failure in these areas are to be presented in a future article. Until government and society succeed in these named areas, the plight of the ‘little man’ will be great and the country will regress to a diminished democracy and destroyed society  Poverty in Bahamas is a significant and disturbing problem in the Bahamas. 9.3% of Bahamians are measured to be in poverty by the Department of Statistics of The Bahamas (Statistics, 2005). For a person to be considered poor by the department, he or she must currently have an income of less than $2,863 a year.

Whatever else welfare is about, one might reasonably expect the reduction of poverty for the most vulnerable of a country’s population to be a high priority.”

Here in The Bahamas we all acknowledge the existence of poverty but very few of us have ever sat down to determine the real causes much less to seek viable solutions to its reduction where possible and it is eventual eradication.

Successive governments come and they go. One politician pontificates about wiping the tears away from every eye while another bemoans the fact that too few Bahamians have B$1,000 or more in his/her savings account.

As a trained economist with a degree from Walbrooke College in the UK and as a community activist, I have long been interested in the so-called “problem” of poverty and its societal ramifications.

The vast majority of our inner city populations in New Providence and Grand Bahamas are living in squalor and overt inhumane conditions.

The question is: Who is to be blamed? Do we blame those who live in those conditions; the social engineers; the politicians across the board, or other community partners and agents? While we have sought to ascribe the blame game, I submit that levels of poverty and the decimation of what was once known as the middle class go on unabated.

Statistics have revealed that some 15 per cent of the working population in New Providence is unemployed or under employed. Over in Grand Bahamas it has been estimated that almost 25 per cent of workers are not able to access jobs or obtain viable and sustainable employment.

As a direct result of the above scenario we now have elevated levels of poverty and low income earners. This translates into massive societal discontentment and animosity toward the top 5 per cent of our population that appears to be doing well. Well has it been said: “The poor are always with you....”

I propose that the Christie administration introduce comprehensive educational policies to assist in lifting the mental attitudes and expectations of our school aged children and those adults who may wish to attend evening and weekend classes. Not everyone will want to or could attend college. Those with hands on capabilities must be offered realistic vocational courses that they could then utilize to earn a decent wage or to set up their own businesses.