Help young men cleaning windscreens

Thursday, September 02, 2010

Dear Editor,

The stated intention of the police to immediately remove from the street corners of the city all young men who have been cleaning windscreens at various intersections is, with all due respect, wrong. I agree with and respect the reasons for such contemplated action, but I wish to caution that that method will do more to exacerbate the problem than to cure it.

To begin with, I am aware that some of these young men are in the habit of abusing motorists, especially women drivers, and even going as far as to splash them with dirty water, but such behaviour is attributable to a minority and identifiable percentage of their numbers. The majority conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner, for example, moving on when their offer of service is declined.

Second, I know it is a commonly held belief that the average young man loitering on street corners does not want to work, but such a label cannot be applied to these windscreen cleaners who demonstrate a very vigorous work ethic. My research reveals that their day starts at 5:00 am till about 10:00 am where they break from the midday sun and some of them sell various merchandise items from cooler locations - they then repeat their morning schedule about 3:00 pm until 6:00 p.m.

Third, it is felt by some that they can be seen gambling on the side of the road but here again such an indulgence is also confined to the minority. The reality is that notwithstanding their youthful appearance, some of them are fathers as well as breadwinners of their homes.

To compound the situation I noticed recently that "No Vending" signs have been erected at the traffic light at Devon House, a popular intersection for windscreen cleaners. In heaven's name, vendors in the street like the windscreen wipers are people who, instead of choosing a life of crime, have opted to earn an honest living. What is to become of them? When hope is destroyed, are we not inviting them to yield to temptation out of desperation?

The reasons for all the above complaints arising at all, is that this particular workforce is unregulated and they need to be regulated. I therefore invite the Minister of Youth to step in and consider the following proposal:

(1) Conduct a census of all such young men at all major intersections

(2) Have them registered and certified as such at all major police stations in all parish capitals

(3) Have each of them issued with three sets of T-shirts clearly marked, "My name is... May I clean your windshield?" I personally will seek donations of these shirts when advised of the numbers required. Anyone not wearing such a shirt will not be allowed to work.

If such a person persists without the shirt, then he can be arrested. This way the number of windscreen cleaners and vendors can be monitored and limited.

In any event, to have chosen the start of a school term to implement such a draconian measure displays insensitivity which defies comprehension.

Howard Hamilton

26 Duke Street

Kingston

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Help young men cleaning windscreens