IT seems to be a normal thing to have plastered on the pages of newspapers ‘portraits’ of young men who have died of violent encounters, have killed their spouses, and others who are heading for prison due to some involvement in narcotics or other crimes.
Years ago, I proposed a men’s hostel for men who earn but do not have enough to pay $70,000, $80,000, or $120,000 per month in rent. In previous articles, I indicated that the loss of waterfront jobs in the late 80s and sugar in the 90s would create an employment vacuum.

The greater urgency was the deployment of technology, which further liquidated areas of public service. Reforms in construction that no longer employed labourers, those tasks are now taken -up by the skilled staff on most sites. This left only security or watchman services and mining open to unskilled males. With some security services, there is a need for strict labour observation of practices by labour authorities. Also, many women are employed in these areas. Vending is also overwhelmed and has been dominated by women since pre- to post-emancipation. Cottage Industries and the Arts have potential, but governments have vague ideas on how to engage these areas, and there are no other options but to be guided by the citizens involved, but there is obvious reluctance, except in rare cases that bore fruit, but have no set attitude precedents.

The obvious volume of men living on the streets who may not be drug addicts is disturbing. The fact is that most of the aged citizens who have committed suicide are male, and some are also young. If a man, young or old, is earning less than $140,000 a month, he is easily tempted to use illegal methods to upgrade his functional income needs. In a functional home with children, there is a need for a computer, a printer, an external hard drive, ink, paper, and software licence — the basic needs for a functional education. There will also be textbooks, lessons and food.
I knew a fellow by seeing him and “Hi & Right, with light gaff”. I was surprised when I saw him in the newspapers; he was employed, but I’m not sure where.

The building that he lived in on Princess Street Wortmanville had caught fire. He rented a room in this building that once belonged to ‘Mr Lucas’. He arrived on the spot, stared at the burning building, collapsed and died. All that was of any importance to him was in that room. If we look at the school attendance of children, young males may be less in school than their sisters. The bottom line of this column is that natural economic challenges long preceded Oil & Gas, warning us that this time nah long time, the results now envelope us. So how do we proceed, enveloped in a world of pills and drugs?