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"The ruin of a nation begins in the home of its people" - Old African Proverb. I have heard this quote many times and used it just as much. This is a very potent and commanding quote.

The wise and ancient African Leader who spoke these words had to have meant that our youth are our gifts and if we do not entrust them with the best care we can give them, then our nation is lost.

Bermuda, let us as the saying goes "unto our own selves be true" and ask ourselves "did we handle our gifts with care and nurturing?" I think not. We all know where we as a nation went wrong - it has been a combination of home, school, church, mosque and community. We are all to blame for the brew that we have stewed today. We all need to take accountability and responsibility to the state of Bermuda today. We are the elders whom let the youth down-yeah it's us, nobody or nothing else.

Civilization is akin to a garden - the farmer or gardener first plants, then nourishes with water and good soil, ensuring that just the right amount of care via sunshine, water, peat, etc is given. Again, another wise and true saying "you reap what you sow". Today, Bermuda is reaping what it has sowed. We were neglectful and now we are reaping the results of neglect.

I do not like nor do I wish to lament on pointing blame for the sad social state Bermuda is in today, however, I believe in resolve and this is where our focus most lie. We as citizens of Bermuda, must RESOLVE to work on a solution together, putting aside our individual social status, we must work together as one people for the common goal of bringing justice to these isles. You see justice has never reigned in Bermuda and hence, we have the upheaval of what was a false peace today.

Justice is the key. Our educational system, our judicial system, our social system, our economic system must begin immediately to distribute justice to the peoples of Bermuda. Persons of every creed, colour, religion and walk of life. No one is better than the other - we all bleed and die the same way - we are equal in the humane sense of the word and we all require as a basic component to a peaceful existence - justice from the powers that be. Hence, it would behoove the powers that be to act immediately on the matter of justice.

Let's get our educational system in place, a system that's only goal is to ensure that the gifts of country - our youth is given the very best and the very same education - put all our youth on an even playing feel from the onset. Do not let economics interfere with the dissemination of the finest of education to our people. Education gives hope, so when one is given an inferior education - automatically, hope is snatched away.

Parents, we too must get it together. We have to ask ourselves "why are we parents?" We are our children's first teachers. Research has shown that:

* Brain development that takes place prenatally and in the first year of life is more rapid and extensive than previously suspected;

* Brain development is much more vulnerable to environmental influence than we ever suspected;

* The influence of early environment on brain development is long lasting;

* The environment affects not only the number of brain cells and number of connections among them, but also the way these connections are "wired;"

* Early stress has a negative impact on brain development.

We as parents must ensure that all of the above takes place in the early development of our children. We need to make sure that children left in daycare and pre-schools are given the very best.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I hear talk that the Ministry of Education will not be placing much emphasis on early childhood education - I pray I was given wrong information. I also hear that this Cambridge Curriculum is not the best that it caters only to the elite - this too, I pray is wrong, because if the above is true, we are all in for a real rough ride.

It is the duty of each and every one of us as citizens of Bermuda to ensure that parents, schools, and our government has the mindset to be responsible for strengthening the positive qualities of our local children and for correcting negative characteristics before they become a strain and drain on the greater society.

Then we come down to religion and society. We fight to separate church from state and this in my opinion is where the problem lies. Take God out and we undoubtedly let Satan in. We argue that in these modern times, religion is obsolete. Well, look around you and see what has replaced religion - do you like the replacement - cold blooded, soulless, ungodly murderers?

The solution - we need to get back to basics and get back to God, the Most Merciful!

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