Give them a career

February 21, 2003

Dear Sir,

What no mysteriously difficult about coping with our destructive youth? Are we afraid to take away the one thing they value and love the most? Their freedom, no, not lock them up as a punishment, lock them up as a step towards rehabilitation. As I have advocated so often in my letters to the Editor, the first step we should take is to stop mouthing about how bad they are and set about finding solutions. There is only one feasible and practical solution as I can see on the horizon.

1. Place them in a strict disciplinary facility for three months, where there is no access to the outside world, visitors, TV, newspapers or parents, where they are required to spend a day of - up to 6 a.m., learning a trade of their choosing in the morning, physical activities in the afternoon and lectures in the evening, not entertainment, and then in bed by 10 p.m. They would be allowed to choose their discipline which would range from, boat building, fishing, electronics, plumbing, agriculture, construction, landscaping and or academic pursuits.

This facility would probably be best located out with the Regiment and would have a staff and faculty to inculcate a healthy regimen life style, of a military background, teaching discipline, hygiene, a strong work ethic and a good psychological attitude. This would be a hard day and possibly resented by many, but after a while the feeling of comradeship motivation and pride, to find at last, a haven of safety and possibility whereby they would learn a trade and graduate to a position of craftsman, would no doubt instill a feeling of seeing something concrete at the end of the tunnel, where they could earn a wage and be respected for their expertise.

This plan should surely have great merit for the community for the youth itself, for Bermuda's image (who knows, this could be a pilot for the best of the world to look at) and I am quite sure for the magistrates, who sometimes have no where to send those youths except to the "swinging door" and we all know what that is! They come out resentful, shamed and angry.

Let us as a community plan together. I am quite sure there are many senior citizens who have retired reluctantly with invaluable expertise in all the fields mentioned, and many not mentioned, that would enjoy donating their time to teach a few hours a week. Let us do it before we lose the next generation by default!

I am a registered nurse and would be happy to be involved in teaching some form of art or hygiene. It is not too early to ask for volunteers who would be willing to give of their time to teach their field of expertise. A post office box could be set up with The Royal Gazette's cooperation, and a panel committee (voluntary) could review the applicants. This is not a new concept and one that earned great merit.

Out at Prospect years ago there was a trade centre a technical trade centre, where the wonderful Bermuda expertise that exists today with the older craftsmen came from and one never meets one of these men today that you don't see that gratitude and pride they have in being so highly valued and respected.

DIANA WILLIAMS

Pembroke