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Momodou
Denmark
11804 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Feb 2007 : 17:09:30
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Foroyaa Editorial
SoS for Social Welfare Should Intervene!!
Beggars And The State
The poverty in The Gambia affects those living with disability more than anybody else in the country.
There is a general myth that all beggars in the street are from neighbouring countries. As arrest of beggars becomes a norm, many Gambians who are living with disability and who had not benefited from any initiative to be employed are beginning to protest vigorously.
On Wednesday 14th February, 2007 some of these beggars approached Foroyaa to lay their grievances. They want the authorities to know that they the beggars who are living with disability do not have any other means of existence apart from begging. They claim that many of them have families and are required to provide for them. They argued that if they stay at home they will be totally dependent on poor family members who may disrespect them. According to them they have had the opportunity to earn respect at home by contributing their quota to the feeding of family members.
They informed Foroyaa that many family members depend on beggars to exist. They call for an end to what they term as their harassment.
Foroyaa considers Gambia to be a heavily indebted poor country. Many people depend on secret or open begging in order to survive. The authorities should provide the means for people living with disability to earn an income and then consider what to do about beggars.
The level of humanity of the people in a country is determined by the quantity and quality of support to those living with disability. The SoS for Health and Social Welfare should engage the leaders of associations committed to the plight of those living with disability to prepare a more dignified and humane approach to the problem.
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 019/2007, 16-18 February, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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