COMMENTARY: On the death of Andy Carbon

Carbon was found dead last week

The circumstance of Andy Carbon’s killing was chilling. It was a heinous crime; brutal, unfeeling and particularly despicable. It was odious, loathsome and utterly reprehensible. Nobody, but nobody should die that way. Not Andy, not anybody. Law enforcement did well to have already apprehended the perpetrator. Back of the head smashed in with one of the concrete weights used to secure vending umbrellas. What a way to die. What a waste of a life. Or is it? Can we transform a negative into a positive?

Primarily, Andy was a paro. One of the dozens who find their way to Roseau and join the ranks of vagrants. Lanky and gangling, Andy presented a picture of perpetual apprehension, muddled fright, constant fear, and insatiable hunger. He always seemed to be on the verge of running off in flight.

He was arguably the least aggressive of the paros. He stank to high heaven and his states of undress were indecently imaginative. Chasing Andy out of business places was a matter of course. His practice of public and personal hygiene was non-existent.

Of late, he had been in the public eye. He had been struck by a hit and run driver, burnt, and beaten several times. In fact, there had been public outcry in his favour when his vulnerability was exploited once or twice too many. There had also been cries of outrage against him when he defecated in public places.

Andy, therefore, in some ways, was the ultimate in our paro population. There are aspects of his death, however, which should be noted, since we are a civilized society, and are therefore impacted by Mahatma Gandhi’s observation that: “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” Andy was a weak member.

One of the aspects influencing his death was that he slept outside. He was thus all that more accessible to his assailant. The provision of housing along well-planned lines, for our vagrant population, is, therefore, a logical consideration that should be pushed to its logical conclusion. Housing: in the sense of getting them off the streets in a well-planned manner.

That is how the circumstance of Andy’s death can be transformed into a positive. His death brings up again the conversation of housing for the Andys of our society. It drives the “get the vagrants off the street” narrative to the extent that it is heard in all corners of society. All energies therefore, tending towards the unbridled venting of frustration, blaming the system, lashing out at the Government, or tongue-lashing his family can now be channeled towards removing the remaining Andys from the streets in a well-planned manner.

As it stands, substance abuse drives vagrancy. With the drug problem the realty that it is, an ideal situation would be the establishment of a results-oriented residential rehabilitation programme with an accompanying but separate half-way house component to ease reintegration into society. A drop-in centre with prevention its thrust, that would address the short to immediate term issues of addicts and their families, would complete the overall rehabilitation programme.

As it also stands, that kind of establishment does not spring up at the snap of a finger, and something other than what is being done now, must be done in the short to immediate term to change the dynamic that has currently resulted in four of those deaths this year. The Ministry of Health is charged with taking the lead in dealing with the vagrancy problem. Let the energies generated by this the Andy incident push the Ministry and its partners towards bringing to fruition their plans to remove the vagrants from the streets in a well-planned manner.

Those energies generated by Andy’s death can be life for others. There are those, regardless of what he was, who would shed a tear for Andy, or would say a prayer for him because they, in their sensitivity, (maybe derived from adversity,) could sense the fear, the askance, the wanting to trust and afraid to do so, that emanated from the young man.

They could see beyond the dirt, beyond the stench and see the scared youngster within with nobody for him. Every hand against him; everybody trying to outdo the other in kicking him, in hitting him, in shouting at him. Sick in mind, and sick in body; disoriented, buffeted by there, pushed by there, pulled by there, the sun hot on him, the rain wet on him, their laughter taunting and demoralizing him. Good Lord God! That was the lonely, torturous, pathetic and pitiful existence of a mother’s son.

One could say that Andy’s death was predictable. Living the way he did, did not make him a prime candidate for the centenarians’ list. So too, the deaths of many a vagrant can be predicted. Predictions like prophecies are made to guide us away from making them come true. Let us then now commit to ensuring that there are no more deaths like Andy’s by housing our vagrants in a well-planned manner. Andy’s death, therefore, gives us impetus. “There is a tide in the affairs of men,” Shakespeare tells us, “Which taken at its flood leads to fortune.” Let us then seize that impetus.

Society does not want the Andys of the world, yet they are products of society. Notwithstanding that they are the very dregs of the social order, they afford us opportunities to give selflessly. They evoke noble sentiments from our inner selves and help us bring to actualization the Matthew 25:40 teaching: “Inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

There is merit in the lives of the Andys of this world, but like good gold we must mine deeply and diligently to experience it. Those vulnerable lives trigger in us feelings to work towards their well-being; towards the well-being of all humanity. This, in turn, develops in us wisdom, counsel, understanding, courage, compassion, and those other characteristics necessary in us as individuals to make Roseau and the world a better place.

To the extent that we can, in a carefully well-planned manner, provide housing for our remaining Andys, is the extent to which we will have transformed a decidedly negative act into a positive outcome. It would probably be right apt to name that outcome, the Andy Carbon Home for Vulnerable Persons.

J.M. Bonti Liverpool is Chief Executive Officer of WISDOM TO KNOW Inc, a ten-year-old substance abuse treatment programme that has clients in the vagrant population.

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34 Comments

  1. Velma
    July 1, 2017

    Great article..
    This piece highlights the way forward to improving the psychosocial aspect of the country ; a plight for more education in that department. It is also, a way to raise the awareness of mental illness, drug addiction and behavioral health issues and the many ways they can be managed in the communities.

  2. Semaj
    July 1, 2017

    Inspirational. This should give us the impetus to help those that are vulnerable in our society. God give us the wisdom and patience to understand our brothers and sisters who have gotten into this calamity. Let true love prevail in our nation.

  3. LawieBawie
    June 30, 2017

    You touched me with this Mr. Liverpool. Quite sobering in deed.

  4. smh
    June 30, 2017

    Well said. I really do appreciate this written plea for the Andys of our island. Despite all this we also have to remember that it was a choice he made. This a choice anyone makes any time one takes a ‘taste’ of the drugs. No one knows whether or not he/she will become addicted. Since we do not know then we should avoid drugs at all cost. We should not even try it out in the first place. I remember about two decades there was a program done by the drug unit in the primary school, From what I heard and saw it was an excellent program focused on youngsters of about 10-11 yrs. I am also aware of some of these participants still got into the drug scene. We may have to work much harder at prevention rather than cure.

  5. Wisdom
    June 30, 2017

    What is with the home up in stock farm? We need this place completed. We also need a soup kitchen somewhere in Roseau, as all these people find their way to the city and they must be fed so as to stay away from people’s property.
    Mr. Liverpool thanks for the tribute to Andy and may God bless you and give you strength. Good work

  6. Motivated
    June 29, 2017

    But what motivated “Gravity” to kill Andy and the other guy? Was he trying to get rid of the competition on the street?

  7. Fran
    June 29, 2017

    Great read. And of course I agree. With Dominica being such a small place population wise. Won’t be too hard to round them up. My fear is keeping them in such facilities as you recommend. And who would want to manage the day to day of such a facility?

  8. June 29, 2017

    An intelligently thought out piece of work. Descriptive, insightful and powerful. Bonti Liverpool is the best there is since in SMA.

  9. UDOHREADYET
    June 29, 2017

    To this comment: though i would wish the same yet these are not the type of people who can be housed, they lack the basic mental ability to lock a door, safely prepare food or manage their day to day, you would in fact be putting other people at risk living amongst them. having said that… the capacity and will from the mental health medical community to treat such vagrants is lacking .h

    “One of the aspects influencing his death was that he slept outside. He was thus all that more accessible to his assailant. The provision of housing along well-planned lines, for our vagrant population, is, therefore, a logical consideration that should be pushed to its logical conclusion. Housing: in the sense of getting them off the streets in a well-planned manner.”

  10. C fraser
    June 29, 2017

    Out of all bad comes some good. Your commentary was a lovely way to honor Andy and all the Andys of this world. I pray it doesn’t fall on deaf ears and eyes to blind to see. God bless you Sir.

  11. June 29, 2017

    Hopefully justice will be served for Andy and the others. We have to examine ourselves now, and help to find solutions to the problems these vagrants face with substance abuse, housing, productivity etc.

  12. June 29, 2017

    I fully support you on this Bonti. A well presented commentary. I hope more of DNO readers will take time off to read this and share insight where necessary. Let us work to make things better, to make thing right. RIP Andy.

  13. June 29, 2017

    Well written Mr Liverpool. You understand first-hand, the plight of these people. Good to hear from you on this matter. God bless!

  14. Faceup
    June 29, 2017

    A Paro is what you call junkies and God did not create Paro/junkies , he created human beings and unless there is a solid 12 step program with a 28 day in patient program DA wont go no where and this is coming from me a sponcer and drug councelor..

    • Kareem
      June 30, 2017

      Come out there with your hypocritical religious nonsense

    • Don Keyballs
      June 30, 2017

      Faceup you full of shat (pardon my spelling). We were ALL made in the image and likeness of God. Since when did God ask u to be a spokesperson for Him? SMFH. U need to read your Bible and concentrate on Christ’s teaching about the poor…and unfortunate!

    • CONSPIRACY THEORIST
      July 2, 2017

      And you full of it too!

    • Jesus Christ
      July 3, 2017

      Not only did God make Paro/junkies, he made them in his own image.

  15. Lang Mama
    June 29, 2017

    I hate to come out as political after such a very well presented article. As implied or stated our country has let down the Andies in Dominica so Let us see where we could have done better by these unfortunate citizens. Instead of A $250000 airport renaming party a nice shelter could have been built or an existing facility modified. US $90000 given to a charity in India for honorable doctorate-charity begins at home. This is another EC $250000.
    Ec $120000 overbid to contractor on the river wall. The lowest bidder waa not assigned the job. Money towards a treatment program.
    I am not going to talk about the $18 Million bridge that cost 12 million but we can talk about $100000 bridge opening party -transitional treatment and training for the Andies
    I could go on and on but my point is made. In as much as I appreciate Bonti’s contribution a country needs brutal honesty. We have to call out the infractions, injusticrs6,corruption etc as they are for it is hurts a people

    • Looking
      June 29, 2017

      The Andy’s cannot vote. They can’t go to political rallies.

  16. papa
    June 29, 2017

    Alas poor boy u in a better place now rip

  17. Lawrence Ettienne
    June 29, 2017

    I think this narrative is the strongest and best I have read over the past six (6) months, and everyone should take time off read. It does not hinged on any political side, however humanity and love for the unfortunate is its theme. A good message are not those penned by great men, but the relevance it holds in every day life. I applaud the writer and I pray to God that our leaders would will take a line from this, and act now.

    • Protege
      July 2, 2017

      Oh, but I know the man. He is not wealthy; But he is a Great Man, very current and very relevant. He has been doing some good work for sometime now, Just wont blow his own trumpet.

  18. Shaka Zulu
    June 29, 2017

    Powerful. You expressed my sentiments.

  19. A Dog Eat Dog Society?
    June 29, 2017

    Well said Bonti. It would be good where Dominica became a more caring society and less given to drugs, alcohol and abusive people and lawless Government. We must change from top to bottom or become a Paro society where we savage each other. It is up to every Dominican to decide whether we strive to become the beautiful and exemplary island or an uncaring dog eat dog society where anything goes. Andy was a sympton of the decay of Dominica and loss of humanitarian values among an entire people.

  20. Customer Police
    June 29, 2017

    Positive Writing Bonti… I hope this article is read and appreciated by all.

  21. Felix the Cat
    June 29, 2017

    Fantastic commentary!

  22. out of south city
    June 29, 2017

    My Brother, while reading your comment, with tears in my ears, my imagination could not fathom the insanity of another individual. driven to commit this heinous crime against such a vulnerable being, as Andy. Ever since I know the capital. our less than fortunate ones have succumb to the worse treatments that one could imagine in society.

    I join with you, as you plead on the behalf of those who have become victims to whatever situation they could not handle or cope with. If we can’t assist many like Andy, whose situations were not always so despicable, then we have turned our backs on those who most need our help in this society.

    It is incumbent on us as a nation, not only to talk when such circumstances raise their ugly heads but to act in a way that will alleviate the overwhelming situations that our weak brothers and sisters face in their lives. As a nation, we must come together to assist in establishing whatever it takes to encourage people like Andy.

    HOTEP (PEACE)

    • June 29, 2017

      @ out of south city Bonti has taken impact writing to dizzying levels. He made tears come out of his readers ears :lol:

  23. jihan
    June 29, 2017

    Great piece,may ANDY SOUL REST IN PEACE,AND TO THOSE PERSONS,WHOM CAUSED HIM HARM,HOPE YOU ALL ASK THE ALMIGHTY FOR FORGIVENESS.HE WAS A HUMAN BEING ALSO,

  24. SN
    June 29, 2017

    Well written commentary with prescient observations.

  25. NKRUMAH KWAME
    June 29, 2017

    Bonty boy, you said it so right yet I am of the view that you are fighting a loosing battle. Those, upon whom this responsibility rests, are reluctant to do their work.
    HOTEP!

  26. missy white
    June 29, 2017

    good suggestion…but in Dominica tht is wishful thinking…the saga of Andy will soon be forgotten and we move on to the next drama………………

  27. Roger Burnett
    June 29, 2017

    Well said Bonti. No one could have pleaded better.

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