Yes I know this has been discussed here before at great length but at last it has been recognised by the media as not a Beggar problem but a Poverty problem,simple eh !
POVERTY IS THE NUISANCE NOT BEGGARS By Publisher on 07-02-11 The case against old women and lactating mothers who were found begging on the streets of Banjul was withdrawn when they were arraigned on Friday, 4 February, 2011.
The women beggars were charged with Common Nuisance contrary to section 160 of the Criminal Code, Laws of The Gambia. According to the particulars of offence, on or about the 28th day of January 2011, the women were found begging within the streets of Banjul causing inconvenience to the public in the exercise of common rights. Foroyaa strongly recommends that this provision of the Criminal Code be repealed. The reason for this is simple. Poverty is a by product of the policies of a government. In the Gambia, the statistics show that over 61 percent of the population is living below the poverty line. In many developed countries there is a welfare system which enables the state to provide a minimum income to the unemployed so that they would not be in the street to beg. Despite such intervention some who find it difficult to manage their stipend because of one habit or another often find themselves on the street begging. In the Gambia the state has never been able to provide unemployment benefits. The token sum some people receive from social welfare as destitute is not even worth mentioning as a poverty reduction strategy.
Hence most people rely on the extended family for support. Those who do not have family members who could assist them depend on civilized or crude form of begging to survive. It is very common to find well dressed men and women moving from compound to compound or office to office to look for assistance from any person they have little association with. Begging is now a culture. The kindness of some people because of extended family, religious or humanitarian values has helped to establish a social support system which has cushioned the shocks associated with poverty to a certain degree and thus minimize the speed with which our society descends into the pit of criminality. Poverty or begging cannot be solved by transforming the beggar into a criminal. It is solved by providing the beggar with an alternative.
No society has the moral justification to campaign against begging unless it could provide full employment to those who are part of the labour force and benefits to those who are not employed for one legitimate reason or another. The poor needs support. They do not need marginalization. Foroyaa congratulates the Female Lawyers Association for taking a stand on behalf of the women and children. They collectively deserve a Human Rights Defender of the Year Award.
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Posted - 08 Feb 2011 : 14:18:57
