Last week, University of The Bahamas and Verizon Media Group held the first in a series of debates this election season. Most political parties participate in the debate, sending a young person to argue their positions. The Free National Movement was noticeably absent, clearly uninterested in deepening democracy and being compared with other parties in that particular forum. Before the event, it issued a statement with its nonsensical view of the debate series which did nothing to explain its unwillingness to participate.

The debate provided a great opportunity to assess the aptitude and commitment of young candidates, even if they were disappointing. It was clear they were not provided with adequate training and preparation for the debate. Even the responses to questions they had in advance were subpar at best. They frequently talked around the questions, failing to give clear, direct answers.

One might say they are following in the footsteps of those who went before them. The debate should be a wake up call for those who expect young people to be better, smarter and more progressive just by virtue of being young. It, obviously, does not work that way.

We need new and younger people in positions of leadership. We need people with different perspectives. It is our expectation younger people will be more concerned about the state of the country over a longer period of time because young people have a longer time to spend here. We think they will build the country they want and we all deserve. They cannot do this, however, all on their own.

We have failed at building intergenerational organisations, succession planning and both encouraging and nourishing youth leadership. There is an obvious need for mentorship across sectors. People should be looking for ways to share knowledge gained through formal education and experience.

We should all be looking for the people who will, in 10, 20 and 30 years, do what we do now. We ought to prepare them to do it better by sharing both our successes and failures, encouraging critical thinking and helping them to turn their criticisms into fresh ideas, then turning those ideas into action.

When we tuned into the debate last week, we did not want to hear the same old talk. Most of us know that was what we would get, but we did not want it. One of the moderators said it was meant to be a “policy conversation”, but that is not what took place. The participants were not prepared to answer the questions.

Some said the critique of the participants was harsh, particularly given their age and, generally speaking, I disagree. I am sure there were some cruel comments that everyone could have been spared, but it is not reasonable to expect us to withhold critique because the participants are young people.

The standards do not change with age. They had the questions in advance, so there is no excuse for not being prepared to give substantive answers. That said, the questions could have been better, and framed in ways that focused on policy if the goal was to have a policy conversation.

In a debate, we need more than thoughts and feelings. We need more than jabs against other parties, gimmicks and meme content. We need to understand party positions and plans. Parties need to know that promises are not plans. We have been reading and hearing promises for decades, and we have had more than enough of them. We need to know what they plan to do, the research that supports their planned actions, how they will carry out said actions, and what the timeline looks like. We need to demand more, not less.

HELP RESTORE TAYAH’S VISION

ONE of the things we have learned to do is show up in times of crisis. We know the importance of helping one another to get necessary resources, overcome obstacles and meet goals. We help our cousins with college applications, give our nieces and nephews rides to school, help out at the church soup kitchen, and go through our cupboards to find nonperishable food to donate to people in need.

Before COVID-19, some of us bought steakout and souse tickets almost every weekend to help co-workers, friends and family members to pay medical bills. These days, we are seeing GoFundMe campaigns pop up with heartbreaking stories.

Even if such things are in your budget, it can seem as though no amount is enough. There is always more need. Still, we have to do what we can. We do not know when people we know and love will need this kind of help. We can be certain that, when we come together as a community, we can at least get closer to meeting the needs that we would if we try to do it alone.

On Sunday night, I saw a Facebook post by a long-time friend who is in need of help. One of the most genuine, kind, supportive people I have ever known is doing everything she can to help her daughter.

Months after Tayah was born, Tehillah Pearce learned Tayah had congenital cataracts. Tayah was taken to the US where she had two eye surgeries to remove the cataracts. Following the surgeries, she had to wear $600 contacts that had to be replaced quarterly. In addition, she has had to attend follow-up visits with doctors in the US on at least a semi-annual basis. This, of course, has been expensive and medical bills have been racking up.

Last summer, Tayah complained of severe eye pain. In the midst of COVID-19, it was a difficult decision, but Tehillah decided to do everything she could to help her daughter. She travelled with her two children to the US in hopes of finding out what was wrong and fixing it immediately.

Tayah had to undergo an emergency surgery with a co-pay of $15,000. The medical bills in addition to accommodations and meeting basic needs has been costly over the past few years, but a mother does everything she possibly can for her child.

Now, Tehillah needs family, friends and community members to help her get over the next hurdle—getting Tayah to Thailand where stem cell therapy is successfully being used to treat the eyes. The treatment costs over $60,000, so Tehillah is trying to raise $70,000 to enable her to travel, secure accommodations and other necessities, and give Tayah the chance to regain vision in her right eye.

At the time of writing, $1425 of $70,000 has been raised. Please help in any way you can. Monetary donations of any amount will get Tayah closer to vision rejuvenation. Sharing the link on social media will help Tayah’s story to reach more people and encourage them to contribute what they can. Visit gofundme.com/f/helptayah to learn more about what she has been through and to make a contribution.

Recommendations

1. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. There is an intricate story in everything Murakami writes. It is often difficult to pinpoint exactly what his novels are about. Some say Norwegian Wood is romance while others are adamant that it is not. In it, Toru takes a walk down memory lane, recalling the way he dealt with the death of his best friend through a connection with mutual friend Naoko and new friend who is more complicated at every turn. There is death and life, there is grief and joy, and maybe that is why this is the book that catapulted Murakami to superstar status.

2. Eurovision. This is the week. Every May, I await the call from my friend Stephen, letting me know that it’s Eurovision week. In one of the greatest spectacles of the year, the European Broadcasting Union organizes a song contest with participants from European countries who bring original songs to the stage in an unmatched series of performances. The lyrics, the costumes, and the antics are not to be missed. Last year, due to COVID-19, Eurovision did not take place, so I expect participating countries to give us all they’ve got and send over-the-top performers to vie for one year of bragging rights. I have been committed to clearing my schedule for Eurovision for years, especially since 2013 when I was enthralled by Romania’s Cezar performing It’s My Life like. It has never been topped, but I also enjoyed 2014 when I saw Austrian singer Conchita Wurst perform Rise Like a Phoenix. Though I don’t expect my two favourites to be topped, it is fun to watch and hope for a bigger showstopper. In addition to the performances, it is quite entertaining to watch the votes roll in from different countries while looking at a map to see exactly how neighbours support one another. Check out the Eurovision finals on Saturday at 3pm.

3. Farmers markets. Buy local. Farmers in The Bahamas have the best produce, and farmers markets also have vendors with delectable goods like homemade bread, jams, and herbal teas. One of my favourite farmers markets to visit is on the porch at Doongalik on Village Road. There are also greens, tomatoes, sweet treats, lemonade, and bread. Sometimes, you can even find candles, jewellery, and pizza dough. When you build a relationship with the vendors, you may even get early notice on what will be available so you plan your grocery shopping around local produce and homemade goods.