Marginalisation stunting growth of young people

THE EDITOR, Madam:

In recent days, I have been experiencing much disconcert, consequent of how difficult it is for us as young people to grow in Jamaica. More specifically, I refer to the housing situation and ageism being a factor that stymies our desire to acquire some assets.

Having been in the world of work for five years, I have heard many co-workers speak about how they were able to secure a house from as early as 23 years old. Unfortunately, many young people today are not able to share that same joy that was experienced by the generations before them. What accounts for this, I believe, is the exorbitant prices of the houses, and what makes the situation even more dismal is the reality that we are not being paid enough to be able to afford a mortgage or buy a house out of pocket. How can it be that we are expected to pay what we are not even earning?

Some young people are exceptional, and have been able to purchase a house and secure other assets. What makes this possible for many of them is that they either come from families that are able to fund their goals or they have been able to cop a job that really pays enough for them to be able to financially manage a mortgage or buy a house out of pocket. However, I am certain that this is the case only for the minority. The majority of us cannot afford to buy a house out of pocket or manage to pay a mortgage, based on the handsome fees required. I am not saying it is impossible for us to buy a house or pay a mortgage but it will require us to overexert ourselves to achieve same, all at the expense of our physical and mental health.

There is a great correlation between how gruelling it is for young people to achieve economic goals and brain drain. Even with brain drain, a country benefits through remittances, but I am certain that the benefits of brain drain are outweighed by its drawbacks. In the cases where young professionals apply for jobs which can help them to live a comfortable life, they are not given an opportunity on the premise that they are too young.

We are living in a time where many young people are prioritising their mental health, and while we are being encouraged to be patriotic, we cannot blame those among us who have gone to and are going to etch themselves in countries where they will be better rewarded for their skills, knowledge and qualifications.

Am I being delusional in expecting that one day things will be better? Perchance!

MALIK EWAN