Just Do It!

When Dr. Mincy released his report on young Bermudian black males he commented that he'd done the report it was not up to us to do something with it. It presented some interesting insights into what is driving the high drop-out rates, the differences in educational attainment and even the differences in pay between black males and white males or even in a lot of cases black females.

Looking through the findings and proposals they seem very reasonable and there is nothing shocking. The beauty of the study was in pointing out exactly what the problems (as they see it) are. Before then there were lots of things it could be but, no one agreed on problem.


Well now we have a 200 something page report telling us exactly what they found the problems to be and how to fix them. Surely the next step is as clear as day?

Apparently not. At a Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda (CURB) forum the report was criticized because the "sample group was too small to provide a true picture." Yes indeed it's not a perfect report but, criticize it's findings and propose alternatives! Don't just attack the method and me done with it, what is the point? What findings and proposals do you not agree with? What should the report have found?

No one claimed the report was the be all and end all of dealing with the issues that face Bermuda's young black males but, it was a start and as Dr. Mincy said it's up to us now to use his report. We can't just keep commissioning reports until we get one that we like and no action is going to be successful without community support.

Constructive criticism should be encouraged but, a simple attack on the method does nothing but undermine confidence in the report and without that confidence it makes it hard for our Government do what they know needs to be done. When the report came out it gave us an opportunity to move forward lets not waste it.