August 8, 2019

Dear Editor,

In days gone by, I have to agree with Colin Hyde, and I quote, “glorious, unforgettable super special Compre!”…of yesteryear was unique in design. It was geared towards really educating young minds. This was at the beginning of Belmopan in the 1970’s. Reading Colin’s article of Tuesday, August 6th 2019, triggered happy memories of those glorious Compre days, remembering all those teachers, classmates, etc. I recall Sister Sarita, our principal, strict, rigid, but always with a kind word when it was needed, or sound advice when one was flagging.

I would even go out on a limb to say that Compre, in the 1970’s and 1980’s was one of the best or the best high school in the country, on a par with St. John’s College (boys) or St. Catherine Academy (girls) in Belize City. At St. John’s and St. Catherine’s, only the boys and girls who could afford the heavy fees went there. These would be the sons and daughters of the rich (Baymen clan), or as they would call themselves, the “elite of Belize”.

At Compre in Belmopan, we were a mixed bunch. You had the children of rich families, high- ranking civil servants, bank managers, ordinary run of the mill civil servants, poor people, and last but not least…the sons and daughters of all the surrounding villages. Let me tell you, some of the smartest and most agile minds were from the villages. Them people mi di lik shot!

Just goes to show you that money can’t buy SMARTS. You can be the offspring of the elite, but this does not guarantee you a nimble mind. My other recollection of Belmopan in the 1970’s to the 1980’s was the Krismos season; it was totally awesome. But that is for another Day.

It really pains me to see and hear high school kids of today. All you hear from them is loud talking and cussing. When we were at Compre we were educated with manners and respect. We were taught manners and respect every single moment at home and at school. We were prone to get into mischief, as all kids do, but there was no disrespect intended. Let’s take an example, College Road, as it is known in Corozal Town. After 3:00 p.m. when the high school lets out, all the students walk into town. They walk in the middle of the road; they have a sidewalk, but they do not use it. If anyone wants to pass with a vehicle they refuse to move and even go as far as to cuss out the driver.

Is this what we have come to? These are our youths. Is this the typical behaviour of your youths? You tell me. The “Rights of a Child”, this simple phrase we adopted from the U.S. of A., has caused our lives and the lives of our children to be all about selfishness and degradation.

We are copying, and so when we adopt logos and beliefs, what should we expect? Before this paradox of manure came along, when a child disrespected an elder, he or she got a good whopping at home and at school. This was common sense law, and it kept all kids on the straight and narrow.

And, believe it or not, we, the kids, were happier in the old days. Things were hard, and you got tremendous whoppings, but you also got love and caring by the ton load. It was a simple life back then. But now…we live in a cesspool of corruption and degradation, with no respect for one another.

Try tell me da no suh!

Elogió Itzab
San Narciso Village
Corozal District