Dear Editor,

Recently I watched some youngsters weaving between moving cars in the rain carrying tins begging support for some unidentified cause and I was appalled, not because of the possible tragedy waiting to unfold but because I saw the future of our society and it is not rosy.

I ask most emphatically why our society is so busy creating the next generation of beggars, people looking for a free meal with a deeply entrenched freeness culture. I mean, Jamaican politicians since Independence have done their best to create the current generation of freeloaders. So why are so many of our churches, schools and other social organisations working so hard to cement this kind of behaviour in our society and ensure its continuity into the next generation? How many building block cards or walkathon sheets or just plain begging sheets have you seen this week, especially around pay day?

In my day when the Catholic Youth Organisation of which I was a member needed funds, we held a car wash or had a bake sale or organised a fun(d) day (pun intended), etc. In other words, we provided a good service for our contributors’ money and tried to provide value for the funds. Please, no expensive barbecues based mostly on contributed food shared so sparsely that almost everyone leaves the function hungry, and some patrons not even getting the meal they have paid for. Just think you’d get much better support if people felt that they were not being exploited every time. Ancillary sales held at these events would be supported better on a patron’s full belly.

This is my urgent call to all current churches, schools, youth organisations, etc, to develop our youngsters’ entrepreneurial spirit and foster their creativity. Please help to nurture their managerial and organisational talents. Our children will certainly need these talents in order to escape the mess we have made for them.

Toddlers could make and sell macaroni costume jewellery, kites and simple toys, craft, etc. Slightly older children could learn to make and sell sweet treats, more complex toys and craftwork, cold drinks or cracker/finger sandwiches – all properly supervised by responsible adults. Car washes are fun for teens and could be spiced up by other services only limited by the creativity of the teenagers. I am certain that young minds unhindered by my years of conditioning would come up with some pretty interesting ventures.

Jamaican society would benefit as a whole, the participants would gain invaluable exposure and the chance to market themselves, and there would be fewer beggars on the streets.

Joseph Morris

Kingston