Dear Editor,
Someone once said that youth is wasted on the young, but I would like to add some other disadvantage that youths suffer through no fault of their own. These disadvantages have nothing to do with the generation gap; it is just because being a single youth is viewed as someone who is mentally unsettled and physically restless.
In this country, many youths are being denied the opportunity of owning a house lot where they can build a home and try to be independent. I am referring primarily to the male of the species. There are those who have applied, but it appears as though they have to marry, produce children, etc, in order to be eligible.
There are many youths who prefer to have a live-home arrangement, who prefer not to live with their parents because they have to pay a rent to live in apartments. Can’t this be remedied where lots are given/approved by the housing authority?
While we have categories of awardees ‒ young professionals, high income, middle income, low income ‒ every new housing scheme should cater for unmarried applicants who are striving to be independent.
I know of cases where these youths have their hopes dashed and their goals shifted because they were not eligible to purchase a house lot in their country; a country where many are awarded house lots they have no need for, and who sell them back to the rich at enormous prices. Give our youths who want house lots a chance! This would mean that their application should not be categorized and filed away.
The other disadvantage faced by our youths is the denial of a United States visa. The embassy does not tell them that it is because of their age and being unmarried. This would be too blunt.
They are just being denied the opportunity to visit the US with their parents or a relative. Too bad for them.
So while the saying is that youth is wasted on the young, there are agencies which conspire to have youthfulness wasted on many of our youths.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
