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.
