Bahamas, love and the state of Africa...

When I returned home a few years ago, I had no intention of doing anything in the Bahamas ever again, least of all anything to do with this community. I had spent some time long ago trying to start a youth program here designed to address teen Gang violence and youth at risk. There were early signs but it was hard convincing the powers that be that this should happen then. Judging on the number of gangs operating in the Bahamas now, I know some are regretting ignoring that problem. I spoke with everybody of what I thought were progressive programs using art to empower the young through education. I left no stone unturned looking for funding. I was rejected and left angrily. That was twenty years ago and we had literally been damaged by the drug trade which had ravaged our streets. Everyone was affected and after 92' the Bahamas did go through a period of recovery for a time. I was disappointed that on my return that the drugs had come back in full force. Perhaps they never left but again I saw that our youth were at risk particularly our young black males who are generally the ones most vulnerable and quite intentionally. It is a political destabilization process enacted against a people. I sat down at the wharf where I paint my souvenir items and spoke with many young men in particular regarding the devastating affects of cocaine. I talked until I was blue in the face because these young males were very much at risk and again the problem was being ignored. They were the forgotten ones and many had fallen through the cracks. They were disillusioned and filled with self hatred. Down Town Nassau was inundated with the stuff and there were open drug deals happening everywhere with alleged corruption (gossip) by Bahamians officials. How could this happen so freely without it? Gangs were everywhere and there was a major drug war happening. Many Bahamians seemed oblivious to the problem and our politicians inaffective. There has been a clean up of Bay street over the past year although the problem still exists. I guess I was not a very good role model at the time as I was an alcoholic and an addict myself. I have since cleaned up my act. I still speak with many but now I can say sobriety is definately the way to go with confidence. Not everybody I speak with are involved in drugs nor lost but I say all this to answer any critic as to who am I to talk about culture which is what they said to me before when they did nothing. This was the Bahamas I was meeting again, lost in its chaos with its children dying in the streets - they felt 'faceless' even with their big, beautiful black face.This was the deterioration of 'Africa' here. Some still come to me, others like many call me Mudda. I guess I felt like one for a moment. Many more of our young people are working hard through the temptation to take the easy way out. I love and admire them most of all. I put all my love for two summers into trying to educate and inform. Many of our young felt lost without some guidence in this society.They still did it anyway but needed to feel loved most of all. Most treat me with respect and love for being honest with them and caring. It takes a nation to do this with proper leadership- really it takes us all. I have no regrets of what happened to me in my life however. I am glad I went off to Canada and learned what I did as I have more to say with experience now under my belt. I prefer to continue to 'rap' on the street rather than a planned program. Everyone from many perspectives come to speak with me and I treat them equally because they are all the same...products of love. I bring all this up however to say that the problems are still there and there needs to be major progessive programs based on critical thinking intiated in this country to address these fallen youths in particular. They are angry with good reason and I agree with them that there is far too much corrpution and greed happening by those placed in some sort of responsibility to help solve these problems. God will judge this Nation one day because these young people are our future and we are killing them with our lack of action and selfishness. I do what I can but I am old and really it is a 'drop' I offer and love them within it...peace to you and them with strength and power of an Elephant!..