|
Momodou
Denmark
11733 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Dec 2006 : 14:17:56
|
Foroyaa EDITORIAL
A SOCIETY OF POVERTY WITHOUT BEGGARS?
The Dilemma Of The APRC Regime!!
69% of the population are living in abject poverty. It is because of such poverty and indebtedness that made the World Bank and IMF to rank Gambia as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC).
Many people depend on the income of one or two persons who are working. The APRC government should not close its eyes to the naked fact that many homes survive by one meal a day. That meal is often served in one big basin. It is not uncommon to find seven or more members of a family surrounding such basins to eats. Each has few mouth full and then proceeds to drink a lot of water to fill the stomach. This is why slight malaria leads to amaenia. Others simply boil the starchy rice and add sugar to have a meal. This is why diabetes and other nutrition related illnesses are on the increase.
What is therefore surprising is for administrative measures to be taken to sweep all the beggars from the street. Some have been taken to court.
The APRC regime should bear in mind that many beggars are now living in a state of destitution, fear and frustration. They approach everyone who open the door to seek for advice. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare should meet the representatives of all the societies of the disabled, many of whose members are terribly affected to discuss a way forward. Begging is part and parcel of the culture of poverty. The progressive way to fight begging is to eradicate poverty. The attempt to do so with an iron hand is not the just way to lead with a social problem.
We hope the policy will be revisited and safe the poor from further humiliation, marginalisation and destitution.
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.109/2006, 6-7 December, 2006
|
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
|
Topic Locked
