Dear Editor,
At approximately 7:30 pm two Saturdays ago I was walking along Main Street in the resort town of Ocho Rios, just metres away from the busy thoroughfare, when I saw a blind man trying to navigate the street with his cane. He faced some difficulty and was seemingly unaware of the oncoming traffic.
To my surprise, many people just passed him by without offering any assistance. He was desperate to cross the road en route to the Total Gas Station, about 60 yards away, to get a bus to Brown's Town. I then escorted the gentleman to the gas station.
After waiting with him for a brief period, a bus drove up. And, as I was about to assist the man into the bus the driver made it categorically clear that he would not be allowed inside. I was appalled and in a state of disbelief at his actions, which were nothing short of disrespectful and shameful. What a disgrace!
Is that any way to treat one of our elders? Is that any way to treat a disabled Jamaican citizen? I can just imagine that this incident was not the first and certainly won't be the last. It shows that a lot of us have somehow lost our moral compass.
I call on all Jamaicans to stand up against this kind of behaviour. Let's be kind and compassionate "Samaritans" to each other in such a way that a sense of selflessness will remind us that no man is an island, and a man is just a man.
Andre R Smith
St Mary
ceoandre@aol.com
Wanted! Good Samaritans
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At approximately 7:30 pm two Saturdays ago I was walking along Main Street in the resort town of Ocho Rios, just metres away from the busy thoroughfare, when I saw a blind man trying to navigate the street with his cane. He faced some difficulty and was seemingly unaware of the oncoming traffic.
To my surprise, many people just passed him by without offering any assistance. He was desperate to cross the road en route to the Total Gas Station, about 60 yards away, to get a bus to Brown's Town. I then escorted the gentleman to the gas station.
After waiting with him for a brief period, a bus drove up. And, as I was about to assist the man into the bus the driver made it categorically clear that he would not be allowed inside. I was appalled and in a state of disbelief at his actions, which were nothing short of disrespectful and shameful. What a disgrace!
Is that any way to treat one of our elders? Is that any way to treat a disabled Jamaican citizen? I can just imagine that this incident was not the first and certainly won't be the last. It shows that a lot of us have somehow lost our moral compass.
I call on all Jamaicans to stand up against this kind of behaviour. Let's be kind and compassionate "Samaritans" to each other in such a way that a sense of selflessness will remind us that no man is an island, and a man is just a man.
Andre R Smith
St Mary
ceoandre@aol.com
Wanted! Good Samaritans
-->