On occasion, these people find themselves before the courts for a myriad of offences – some undeniably vicious. At the same time, some of these offences are clearly the excrescences of minds that are sin-sickened and oftentimes, quite demented.
These people need care.
Sadly, most of them are slated to get next to nothing by way of adequate treatment.
This is precisely where and why questions must be raised concerning current priorities.
Practically all parties to the current debate concerning the state of the nation’s economy take it as agreed and understood that these are extraordinarily perilous times.
But even as we note that there is this widespread agreement, we take note of the Opposition’s perspective where they would have the public believe that things need not be as bad as they are. As they note, "The government’s decision to stop, review, and cancel $80 million worth of public works projects contributed significantly to the slowing of the economy to a trickle…"
We know enough about money, accounting and investment strategy to realize and recognize that, money wisely spent on education, health care is money well-spent.
This turns out to be the case when money spent leads to the production and nurturing of healthy, well-adjusted, decent and law-abiding citizenry.
Sadly, this is just not happening to the extent that it should.
To its credit, the current administration has demonstrated that it does have what it takes to keep things together.
But even as we make this point, we wonder how long this can last.
We surely do wonder whether the administration and its opposition may be mistaken as they both seem to be hoping against hope that things are set to turn around in the near future.
Herein we find what seems to be a veritable knot of contradictions.
At the core of the contradiction is that one question as to what ‘a return to normalcy’ means in an environment where boom and bubble were the order of the day for so very long.
We know that you can not borrow, borrow, borrow and spend, spend, spend – as if pay-back day would never arrive.
That day must come.
As in the case of all who have to decide who is to get what, when and how, the current administration and its opposition in parliament are obliged to make certain hard budgetary choices.
And granted what we think we know about both, no truly hard decisions are slated to be made. In other words, we are convinced that when the dust is settled, both parties to the budgetary transaction would [somehow or the other] muddle their way through.
Indeed, as the government and its opposition debate the nation’s budget, there are views currently floating about concerning how the nation’s parlous treasury can be deployed to maximum effect.
There are arguments being proffered as to why this or that pet project or sector should get even more of the limited funds currently available.
While this is to be expected, it does not follow that each project proffered should be taken seriously.
Here take note that the one key instance that readily comes to mind has to do with allocations earmarked for national security versus those ear-marked for social services such as health and education.
Some of those folk who hew to the line that crime [and the fear of crime] requires more and more resources are adamant in their call for the current administration to spend even more money.
But what if – we remonstrate – the money is just not there.
That is why in it all and through it all, we still submit that we must – as a people – learn how to do more with less.
Indeed, our advice to both sides in the budget debate is inclined in this direction.
More to the point, we are convinced now more than ever that the time is upon us where we have to be more creative. In other words, we are absolutely convinced that necessity demands both innovation and renovation in the way we go about securing ourselves and our communities.
Some urgent attention must be given to building bridges of understanding that would link the Ministries of Health, Education and National Security; such links being used as means of helping rescue some – if not all – of our youth who are currently [as the saying goes] falling through the cracks.
No civilized society imprisons sick people.
