There is no jubilee in sharing a bed with a stranger. And I'm not speaking of the immoral one-night stands with its attendant pleasures, worries and sin. This sharing of a bed and its linen is NOT pleasurable, but is an astonishing sin.

It is unbelievable that a country known and commended for its award-winning hospitality to tourists allows two or more poor pregnant Jamaicans to share a single-patient bed at public hospitals. I congratulate The Gleaner for front paging this atrocity. Indeed, the situation smacks of something of the prejudice of plantation slavery.

Furthermore, the fact that the incredulity has been happening for several years now is even more appalling. Where do we find money to build an edifice of a transport centre in the city, pave smooth highways, fête gold medal winners and the like?

Materialism

As important as these activities are, do we recognise that these 'progressive' developments diminish when compared to the provision of decent health care to Jamaicans? Or are we consumed by materialism?

Yes, an important step was taken in April 2008 to make health care 'free' and we can't cough at that. But certainly giving a woman privacy during this most sacred moment of her life is a priority of urgent proportions. I wonder how this contributes to the UN millennium development goal of ensuring maternal health.

How do we make room for cronyism and corruption in our activities; rack up inordinate bills to install free light bulbs; award ourselves contracts to do government. work and overspend on mismanaged hotel projects, and yet can't find the capacity to build another wing or two to properly put up poor mothers pregnant with the nation's future.

With all the hugs and kisses, we care too little for the poor.

Embarrassment

As a mother of two, I pray that the powers responsible will be seized by the embarrassment of this travesty and re-organise its priorities. Some of our sins as a nation are from yesterday, some today, but if we can birth the political will, we can make way for a new day; a day where we (especially the poor) can experience Jubilee.

A nation that treats its poor callously should hang its head in shame. But let us lift up our heads and make our actions today count for change tomorrow. Let us not remain appalled by the sins, but begin the atonement. If not for us, let it be for our children wanting to be born in a safe sanitary humane environment. And let us remember that a few decades from now our fate will be in their hands.

I am, etc.,

Speak the truth

Sugarbella@yahoo.com