Guide and protect

 

OVER the past three decades or so we’ve had cause to look at our population and wonder how safe the future truly is, and will generation x, y and now z keep us in good stead.
 
The reality is that over the years we have seen some phenomenal advances in technology, rendering some popular must-have gadgets obsolete in a matter of a few years.
 
Some may argue however, that with this advancement, mankind has somehow lost some of “his” civility and humanity. The generations are apparently seeing life in black and white, unable to think critically and sadly speaking, with a level of coldness particularly as it relates to tolerance.
 
While we would hope that it is restricted to those persons, let’s not forget that they are having children and sadly the cycle goes on, or sadly gets worse.
 
Here in Barbados we are witnessing some behaviours that are truly worrisome, specifically in younger males – some just out of school, others in their most productive years. They have little respect for their teachers, parents or even the law. How, therefore, can we tackle this problem with the understanding that this is not how members of a right-thinking society behave?
 
I would suggest, however, that it is not all doom and gloom for what some may categorise as another lost generation. Certainly, there are some young persons who are seeing the error in their ways and are trying to change; there are those who are making significant strides academically and in sporting disciplines; there are young entrepreneurs and young innovators who are excelling in various spheres; and those who are genuinely trying to assist in the country’s development.
 
Over the past week, I had clear examples of how we should never turn our backs on the youth. While walking through Swan Street, I noticed some school boys in uniform and one was busily trying to put an earring in his friend’s ear. Supposedly this was in an effort to look “cool” – I later learned that police officers were demanding that students walking through the City wear their school uniform with pride.
 
I noted that one of those boys kicked a plastic bottle on the floor, but couldn’t determine if he had also dropped it or was just playing an impromptu game of football on the streets. However, it was one of the vendors on the street, who obviously saw him drop the bottle, demanded that he keep his environment clean and put the bottle in the bin, which was no less than eight feet away. It was amazing how this student did not groan or grumble, he simply took it up with some embarrassment on his face and threw it away.
 
I thought to myself, how amazing it would be if there were more positive figures, specifically males, who could help us to guide these young men, who seemingly are easily led astray to do the wrong things.
 
Let’s not forget to praise the motivated members of our society, who are doing good things, most of the time without much fanfare. In the greatest of ironies that plastic bottle, which was so carelessly thrown on the ground, could have easily found its way to our coastline as is usually the case after a heavy downpour.
 
The Caribbean Youth Environment Network, a group of youngsters who over the weekend could be seen conducting beach clean-ups, would have probably be the ones to pick up that bottle.
 
I must join calls for more of our young persons to join service organisations at a very early age, give back and see that there is more to life than just material gains. Many young persons are lacking that structure in their lives and without knowing, are longing for someone to guide them onto the right path. We can ill-afford to let this generation run wild; it would be to our detriment in the very near future.

Barbados Advocate

Mailing Address:
Advocate Publishers (2000) Inc
Fontabelle, St. Michael, Barbados

Phone: (246) 467-2000
Fax: (246) 434-2020 / (246) 434-1000