by Dr. Donald M. McCartney DM

After reading and hearing about the killing of a young man by a few police officers, the words "there has to be a better way" kept reverberating in my mind. I do not know who is right or wrong. I do not know the circumstances. I do know that there has to be a better way!

There has to be a better way. It must, however, begin with going back to our spiritual and social roots, which we failed miserably to pass on to our young people.

Sadly, good examples and role models are missing in the homes, churches, schools, and our national institutions in general.

Secondly, there has to be a review of our education system to determine why it is producing functional illiterates many of whom are being employed by our national institutions, particularly the Royal Bahamas Police Force and other uniformed branches that are responsible for the national security of The Bahamas, the safety, and protection of the Bahamian public.

The products of our education system  are  reflections of all of us. Indeed, while we stand in righteous indignation and rightfully so, we are failing to grasp the fact that the both those who are officers on the Royal Bahamas Police Force and those whom we refer to as the "criminal element" are products of a failing education system and a country that is on the precipice of moral and social decay.

However, all is not lost if we stop and begin a sustained period of national reflection that will assist us in finding our way back to God, civility, comity, respect for each other, a
nd law and order. To accomplish this, there must be strong moral leadership from all levels in The Bahamas.