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More noise needed against vandalism
By
Our Reporter - 18-06-2002 |
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The case of the seven men accused of vandalising telephone equipment will be determined by the courts. Until that is done, the law does not allow us to comment on it.
However, this case aside, vandalism in our poor country has reached alarming levels. Once upon a time the country was worried about wanton cutting down of trees. Today it’s not only trees that are felled wantonly but also telephone and electricity poles.
One just has to travel between Lilongwe International Airport and the city centre to appreciate the damage done to an obviously very expensive street light project.
Most bridges in the countryside have been stripped of their steel bars. Road signs are removed as soon as they are placed. In some parts of the city of Blantyre even concrete blocks in bus shelters have been removed. All over the place manhole covers have disappeared as well.
It’s amazing that our politicians have not yet picked up vandalism as an important item on their agenda. Maybe it’s because no one has bothered to assess its impact on the economy. It may also be that speaking against vandalism might cost our desperate politicians the much-needed vote from a certain sector of the community which cherishes vandalism as a democratic right.
But there is no denying that vandalism is retarding development and making political noise on the issue might just help make those staunch supporters who indulge in vandalism realise that their masters are unanimous on condemning it.
That just might be the kind of civic education that should complement the efforts of the law enforcers.
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