Garth Rattray | ‘Nobody’ will die today

The news reported that a pickup plunged into a ditch where major roadwork is being carried out along the Constant Spring Road 'Legacy' construction project. There was a fatality. The victim appears to have been flung from the vehicle, but 'nobody' died.

If 'somebody' had died in that ditch, we would have heard how there were no bright, flashing warning lights and no solid, concrete barrier to prevent 'somebody' from plunging in. We would have been told that the trenches and ditches have remained open and dangerous for an inordinate length of time. However, since 'nobody' died, those things were not mentioned.

I try to avoid the Mandela Highway project because it is dangerous, especially at night, and several fatalities have occurred there. I take long distances to circumvent the corridor because I don't want to be another 'nobody' who died there.

Indigent housing conditions have caused many fatalities because of fires.

People who cannot afford proper shelter huddle in dangerous edifices fit only for vermin, yet they are ignored by the authorities until tragedy strikes. Then, there are effusive outpourings of "thoughts and prayers" going out for the victims.

People who cannot afford to pay electricity bills use candles for lighting purposes and rickety gas or wood stoves for cooking. Courting disaster lasts only for a while. Eventually, their luck runs out and the victim count rises, but 'nobody' dies under those circumstances.

Some years ago, I got wind of impending violence within a popular inner-city community. A former badman had returned and was shot at by a rival. This was about to trigger a wave of violence and the father of one of the parties approached me and asked for help. He named the politician responsible for that area - a well-known and well-loved 'leader' whose mere words could have prevented bloodshed.

I sent a message to that politician, but I was told to tell it to the police instead. I did, but the police cannot exert much influence at that juncture and under those nebulous circumstances.

Predictably, gun violence erupted, and many young men (including several innocent citizens) were fatally injured. But 'nobody' died. Many families were left without sons, many families were decimated, many children were left fatherless, many families mourned, many families will never forget what happened. Yet 'nobody' died. The killings weren't even deemed newsworthy.

Our public hospitals are woefully lacking in the resources needed to deliver suitable patient care. Our situation was always critical, but things worsened because of the loss of income when the 'no-user-fee' policy was instituted. I know people who suffered for want of adequate care and several who left this world because of needed healthcare resources.

Currently, some clinic appointments, for cases in need of early intervention, are being given for June 2020. Therefore, innumerable other citizens will succumb to their illnesses, but 'nobody' will die.

We all know that the root of criminality lies in the lack of proper parenting. Yet, we keep focusing most of our 'crime-fighting' resources on the rotten fruit - the end products of this social malady, the criminals that have already been inculcated.

We need early, serious and sustained social intervention from as soon as the mothers-to-be start attending prenatal clinics. We need on-the-ground, close monitoring of the circumstances under which our nation's children are being raised. We need rapid intervention if things start going awry. We need strictly enforced parenting laws and sustained social programmes if we are to seriously tackle crime and violence.

Until a government puts people before politics, Jamaicans will continue succumbing needlessly to socio-economic, health-related problems and to murder. And, 'nobody' will die today.

Sadly, until 'somebody' dies, things will never change.

- Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.