Official figures have put Ferguslie park at the top of the deprivation table, this inspite of millions being poured into what is a public funding money pit for approx 25 yrs. So why has this money failed to make an impact on the area?
Firstly there are the usual old chestnuts surrounding the dependency culture which prevails in the community. The something for nothing state will support me and mine attitude, the notion of a work ethic appears to be mythical there. The notion of 'I deserve' and 'I have no responsibility' are prevalent. A Friday tends to be spent searching for a free telephone to order up a crisis loan from the benefits agency to provide the weekend carryout. The reasons given to the benefits agency dont vary much either, no powercards, no food for the children, no nappies etc etc. The real use for the 'crisis loan' is usually to ensure that there are enough drugs and alcohol for the weekend. These people arent stupid or helpless, they know how to work the system, how much money they can get in crisis loans, infact it is not uncommon to hear the phrase ' I have x amount of pounds left in my crisis loan', they know to the penny their entitlement.
The money lenders do good business in the area, they tend to drive round the streets or hang out in the Tannahill Centre and can be identified by the ever present bluetooth headsets in their ears.
The borrow today and avoid paying back tomorrow culture is rife - the interest rates on these loans are so extortionate that the borrowers take them out with no intention of paying them back.
There is also a culture of violence in the area often related to the consumption of alcohol and drugs. Personal responsibility is not accepted for actions, BLAME culture is another facet of this community.
There are some out there who do want to work, they engage regularly with the projects set up to assist them into work. These people are making an effort to change their futures, but the actions of the majority only hamper their chances of success. Lets take the public transport issue in Ferguslie as an example. The buses dont go into the area after 6pm. This is because buses were coming under attack from some of the people in Ferguslie, drivers quite rightly refused to risk their lives and drive through the area at night. But for someone trying to find a job in the low-skilled job market this creates a problem. Many of the vacancies in the area are shift work on national minimum wage. The people who want to apply for the work have to weigh up the risk to their safety, walking the streets of Ferguslie in the dark is not a prospect I would relish, yet it is what they face if they take the job and there is no transport to get them home.
The housing in Ferguslie is predominately exceptional for housing in the rental sector, the housing association properties are wonderful. The council housing in Tannahill road and Tannahill crescent is a different story, damp, dark and miserable and obviously not fit for the tv cameras. However the poorest streets were identified as being within the housing association areas like Dalskeith and yet walking those streets I have seen 06 plate Chrysler crossfires parked in the driveway of one home, his and hers. Audi's, BMW's, 4 wheel drive vehicles all there and yet some of the 'drivers', when questioned about work cite not having a driving licence as a barrier to employment!
There is also a small world mentality which presents itself as a barrier ( or excuse) to not getting a job - 5 miles is too far to travel, 10 miles is apparently another planet, this despite a good train service into Glasgow from nearby St James. The people who do want to work, tend to want the work to come to them, or at least be on their immediate doorstep. The concept of travelling to work or even travelling for social reasons seems alien.
Ask residents about the area and those in their mid 30's upwards will tell you that although the houses are great, the problem with the area is the housing allocation policies. Many residents have said when they moved in and the houses were first built about 12-14yrs ago their streets were great, good neighbours, great community, but gradually drug addicts and drug dealers have been housed as their neighbours and turned streets and footpaths into shooting galleries. The impact of this has been that some famillies refuse to allow their children to play outside their homes for fear of them encountering a drunk, an addict, needles or broken glass.
I heard yesterday youths complaining of nothing to do and using it as an excuse for criminal behaviour and indulgence in drugs. There is plenty to do in Ferguslie, a sports centre, a learning centre and many many projects all vying for bodies to participate in their activities. These youths simply dont want to do these things they would rather take drugs and engage in criminal activity, anti social behaviour and vandalism.
The small world mindset creeps in here too, residents actually refuse to engage in activities meant for the whole of the area because their personal prejudice involves being from the top end or the bottom end of Ferguslie.
I would love to say finally but with regards to these issues there isnt a finally, there are many good people in Ferguslie who want the best for their famillies and themselves. But these people are swamped by a self-obsessed blame everyone but yourself majority, who need to learn about personal responsibility.
We need to ensure that state handouts and public funds are conditional on acceptance of responsibility. Young girls who boast of being banned from every main stream school in the area and yet apparently want to become midwives without actually participating in the educational and training processes which will lead there, need to realise that they have to do the same things as everyone else to achieve their ambitions. A future wont be handed to them on a plate, their future needs to be placed in their hands so that they can decide if they want to continue the cycle of blame and poverty or if they are willing to put down the buckfast and make an effort. If they choose not to make an effort to effect changes themselves then those who manage the public purse strings in Scotland, UK and the EU need to cut those purse strings and say - you have made your bed, you lie in it, because as a tax payer among many there is no way I will vote for a political party who will continue to fund this type of culture indefinitely - and i am sure i am not alone.
