SSP Diaries | Our beggars, a way of life or necessity?

This phenomenon is becoming more prevalent each year. I am beginning to wonder if the Christian spirit of giving has become an attraction and dependency syndrome, causing some people to shy away from employment. The population is increasing, and as Christmas draws closer, it is expected that we will see the full magnitude of this phenomenon. There are those who cannot do better, but there now seems to be a select group of individuals who have made begging a profitable way of life. Many of them are capable of performances worthy of Oscars.

I have not seen the lady and her baby who plied the Liguanea area for years and who, shortly before the bank closed each day, would be seen depositing her day’s earnings at one of the prominent banks in that location. I have, however, spent time observing others.

The Upper Waterloo and Shortwood Road junction is controlled by two men who display some of the most pitiful expressions known to man. They are never rude and seem able to tolerate each other’s presence in the space. One individual appears to live off Mannings Hill Road, and when “off duty”, is one of the best-dressed persons you can find in Kingston.

At the junction of Old Hope, Tom Redcam, and Oxford roads, you will find one of the saddest faces approaching motorists. He never smiles and gives the impression not so much of desolation as of someone making a demand of each motorist. If you drive through Swallowfield on weekends, you are likely to see him fully decked out in the latest jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers, all bearing popular brand names.

There is a striking resemblance between my observations of the gentleman at the Barbican Square intersection and the one at Lady Musgrave Road and Seymour Avenue. They have similar habits. Mid-morning breakfast breaks punctuate their soliciting routines, and they do not engage in any activity until their meals have been fully consumed.

At the South Avenue and Waterloo Road intersection is a young lady, often carrying a sign while moving through her territory. Again, she walks with a limp, and her expression is one that genuinely evokes pity even though I believe it may be a look she has perfected. I first noticed her at the intersection of Trafalgar Road and Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston. She opened my eyes to the fact that some of our beggars are itinerant.

I have also noted that beggars and window cleaners do not seem to operate in the same spaces across the city. Perhaps this is a case of one group “threatening” the earning power of the other when operating too closely together.

most troubling aspect

I could go on highlighting individuals and locations across Kingston and St Andrew where beggars are found daily. They are numerous. Most of the people observed appear to be quite healthy, and it leaves one to wonder why it is that they do not seek employment. It is also worrying to note that in certain areas, it is not unusual for motorists to be approached by children begging for money.

This is the most troubling aspect of my observations to date. If this activity is profitable and attracts children who should be in school or at home, then we have a serious social problem on our hands. If parents are sending their children out to beg instead of sending them to school, we have a problem. If parents think their children are in school when they are actually on the streets begging, there are concerns of equal national significance.

The attraction of quick and easy money among both adults and children is something that no developing nation can sustain.

The nation has a problem that urgently needs to be addressed. Kingston is merely one example of what is taking place across the length and breadth of the country. I am not advocating that we should stop giving to the less fortunate, but how does one determine today who genuinely needs assistance and who does not?

To stop giving to some might result in an increase in criminal activity, something we can ill afford now or in the future. Yet, by continuing to give indiscriminately, we may contribute to the growth of an “easy come, easy go” culture in which many never learn the true value of an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. Either way, the nation’s value system is under threat, and if this mindset takes root among our youth, it is safe to deduce that we may soon face a social crisis.

As we move into the Christmas season, we are likely to see new faces on our roads. Some will be genuine as many people are still struggling to survive following Melissa and the effects of conflicts in the Middle East. Others will embrace what is perceived to be easy money and participate merely to enrich themselves.

This situation could become an epidemic overnight if we are not careful. These activities signal both societal burdens and social decay. The Government must seek to determine exactly what is developing on our streets and move post-haste to avert a potential catastrophe.

SSP Diaries. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.