Puzzling to me, however, is why most of us insist on examining this subject strictly based upon statistical economic indicators and governmental accountability.

Each of us has a vested interest in improving general well-being in our local community. To suppose that the eradication of poverty will be achieved through an all-encompassing government policy is naive.

Sadly, many of us prefer to live by the adage "out of sight, out of mind" and have long forgotten or ignored the "one for all, all for one" attitude so necessary for sustainable community prosperity.

Left to our own devices, it is likely that business and industry would compensate labour as little as possible to guarantee the lowest cost of production – even at the expense of creating a growing lower class. What our government cannot do is legislate attitudes. For this we rely on ourselves.

This is the best approach to reducing the root causes of a situation that, left unattended, will continue to be an embarrassment to us all.