Governments came and left, and prime ministers and many who espoused looking out for the vulnerable pretended to care but showed no interest. Their deeds spoke loudly for them.
In recent memory, no gesture has spoken so loudly about our children and their well-being as the National School Breakfast Pilot Programme, which has been implemented in primary schools since the Philip Davis government came to power.
Outside of the political rhetoric, governments’ past was so business and bottom-line conscious that they made sure that at the end of the day, the conclusion must be what was in the balance sheet’s best interest and not the people’s well-being.
It is humanly impossible for children to concentrate when their tummies are empty.
Putting food on the table was hard, especially after the pandemic, when so many went to school hungry. It is safe to say that children struggled to pay attention while their belly growled.
But it took passionate and selfless humanitarians like Prime Minister Philip Davis and Education Minister Glennis Hanna-Martin to put all the financial setbacks aside, even at the risk of being ridiculed by the opposition, and feed the children. Children are our future.
The program started in many schools in the Family Islands and Nassau and will continue until all the children start the day with a hot meal.
“This is powerful!”
Nation-building must begin with our children, so it stands to reason that the foundation for them would be far better by starting the day with a hot meal.
Instead of looking for a ‘gotcha’ moment, the whole country should give kudos for the vision of Mr Davis to steer criticism in the face and save our children. If no one else appreciate this kind gesture, the many families and the children, our future would say thanks, if not now, later.
Bahamians are sensible people, and all sober-minded people must admit that it takes a man with a heart of gold and a high sense of compassion to make this noble effort.
We are so anxious to get boisterous about anything that seems insatiable to earn brownie points, but are we genuine enough to congratulate and sing the praises when something that has actual consequences benefits us all in the long run?
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