Submitted by Anthony Davis
It is simple theft; the stealing of precious space –– parking spots reserved for the handicapped or disabled of our community. And the more we talk about it, the worse it seems to get.
Advocates for the disabled –– not least among them the president of the Council For The Disabled, Senator Kerryann Ifill herself –– say fines for the able-bodied who illegally park in the spots for the handicapped should be twice or triple what they are now. A few have recommended instead a mandatory seven days in jail – Barbados Today
First of all let me congratulate “Barbados Today” for a well-written editorial. It is despicable for hard-backed men and women to park in spots reserved for the handicapped. I have noticed that mainly males park in such spots. Females tend to desist from breaking this law, as they do with most of our laws!
Of all the reasons for so doing, laziness takes first place. He who dares ask the perpetrators why they are parking in that spot will get a mouthful of the vilest invectives he/she has ever heard. However, this should be ignored, because it only shows a lack of vocabulary. I think that parking in such spots can be seen as violating the human rights of the handicapped, and such cases should be dealt with accordingly.
I would suggest a mandatory three-month stay as a guest of Her Majesty at her beautiful hotel in Dodds. I would also add one week of community service in a high-traffic location like Oistins, where the culprits will be tagged with “I parked in a handicapped parking spot”, with writing large enough to be seen from a way off.
Unfortunately the “love thy neighbour as yourself” went through the window on 30 November, 1966, because many do not know what Independence really is. Politicians are trying to blame the churches, but they still play a pivotal role in our country. It was the politicians who took religion out of the schools in their blind eagerness to follow Britain and the EU countries.
The old people always say, ” Follow pattern kill Cadogan!”. We follow too much instead of leading!
Right now our country needs a new crop of leaders, but there is not one to be seen – either in the BLP or the DLP camp. It is: “SIX OF ONE AND HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER.” You have Government ministers giving pretty speeches, but are not living up to what they preach, and there are Opposition members doing the same. So, to whom should the younger generation look up?
You have a Government minister banning teachers’ unions from school premises. One must be very wary when someone advocates banning unions, because that is a very slippery slope and can lead to anarchy and the muzzling of the press. Another is talking about the “rot” in Jamaica, and thinks that nothing is wrong with that. Our Minister of Finance can make disparaging remarks about the leader of the Opposition, and the Prime Minister backs him up for not apologising!
This Government has driven so much fear into the youth of this country that they are afraid of demonstrating against something that is to their disadvantage. In not one of these has the relevant minister shown any love for his neighbour. On the contrary, the venom with which the words were uttered leaves much to be desired!
Then again the members of this Government are in stand-your-ground mode, which means that they do not have to make apologies for anything as they are infallible. There are too many godfathers/godmothers in our country, and also too much nepotism. These things have nothing whatsoever to do with loving your neighbour. In fact, they tend to bring about the opposite, because those who should really get the jobs don’t.That is why there so many square pegs in round holes in Barbados – and this pervades throughout our society, whether in the public or private sector.
But, as you said in your editorial, there are the untouchable big-ups, and so we can wait till the cows come home, and nothing will change in that respect. This attitude towards the disabled in our society is the epitome of callousness, and should be countered with the same hard-heartedness that the perpetrators show towards our disabled sisters and brothers.
They give no quarter, and none should be given them!
This is NOT the kind of situation where one should turn the other cheek. When we get laws in this country whereby one is convicted no matter what his/her status is, then this country will be ready for First World status.
NOT BEFORE!
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