LAST week I shared with you, my faithful readers, the fact that I had (thank God) stumbled upon a book on the life of Dr. Edgar Fitzgerald Gordon, written by Dale Butler, then a schoolteacher but who is now Minister of Community Affairs and Sport. The book was the property of my deceased uncle Wilton (God Bless his soul) but I found it in my old bedroom in my parents' home. My uncle and my parents must have intended for me to read it at some point. I am delighted that if this was their wish, it is now being fulfilled. There is a message here - parents must encourage their children to read, read, and read some more.

The book shocked me, because it has proved to me that despite the efforts of Dr. Gordon and many others who toiled on behalf of blue collar workers, their plight has not changed much. We will delve into this matter in more detail after we visit the Top 20.

Up to number one is by Ne-Yo, one of the hottest new male vocalists in the business. Climbing up to number two is from the reigning Queen and King of Hip Hop, Beyonce and her rapper/producer beau Jay-Z. I love the rolling but kicking beat of this killer hip hop track.

Tumbling to number three is Nelly Furtado and Timbaland, with their hit single . In the number four spot is by the new cutie on the block, Cassie. Holding at number five is by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean, a former essential new joint and one of the most popular songs in the eorld. I still hear this one on the radio quite often. You'll obviously hear it in the clubs as well.

On the way up at number six is Sean Paul featuring Keyshia Cole, with , one of the new breed of dancehall/hip hop combinations.

Slipping to number seven is by Destra, which has loads of energy and is good for any party. Tumbling to number eight is , a soca anthem by Shurwayne Winchester. Free falling to number nine is by Explainer, which tells a funny story.

Improving to number 10 is the new one from Janet (Jackson) & Nelly, entitled . This one reminds me of a single Janet produced with Beenie Man about five years ago, called. I have to give her honey JD (Jermaine Dupree) props on Janet's new single with Nelly - it kicks. Slipping to number 11 is by Machel Montano featuring Patrice Roberts.

Up to number 12 is by Young Dro featuring T.I. Falling to number 13 is by Allison Hinds featuring Machelle Montano. Down to number 14 isby Letoya, the former member of Destiny's Child. Falling to number 15 but still very popular isby Yung Joc.

Now some new tracks, starting with last week's essential new tune. Up to number 16 is Pulling Me Back by Chingy featuring Tyrese. Up to number 17 is by Lyfe Jennings. Soaring to number 18 is by Young Joc featuring Brandy Ms. B Hambrick. Down to number 19 is Bajan sensation Rihanna with

And now, this week's essential new joint. In at number 20 is , from Ludacris and Pharrell. This Pharrell cat is smooth. The honeys like his high pitched (I think its Falsetta) voice, which meshes well with virtually everybody with whom he collaborates.

Now back to this week's word ? the fact that not a whole lot has changed in Bermuda since the 1930s and 1940s.

OK, perhaps I am exaggerating a bit, but if you read your history, you will find that the very same issues that Dr. E.F. Gordon and the Bermuda Workers Association (BWA) were t rying to address when the BWA was in its infancy, are once again issues for workers.

Let me specify, clarify and quantify this statement.

In the 1930s and thereafter, foreign workers were being paid more than Bermudians for doing the same job. Regrettably, this still happens today. Back then, workers coming to Bermuda from the UK and USA were paid a higher wage than Bermudians, for doing the same job, plus they were receiving a housing allowance or some type of additional payment/allowance, to which Bermudians were not entitled.

At the birth of the BWA, blue collar workers' wages did not allow them to afford the items in the basic needs section of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs; those being food, shelter, clothing, water. Well, I don't know if anybody else is paying attention in 2006, but many working class Bermudians cannot today afford the basic needs of housing and food.

Some of this is partially self-inflicted, but the economy must be balanced such that whilst blue collar workers will not be able to afford luxury homes, they should be able to rent or buy a house in which they and their family can live. Today, this is not the case. Everybody cannot be at the top of the income scale; that's just the way an economy has to be structured. A society needs people do do jobs at all levels. However, those who are at the lower end of the remuneration scale still must be able to afford the basics.

The only way that a blue collar worker and his low middle income earning family will ever own a piece of the rock is if they work three jobs. The down side of this is that in doing so, the adults are not able to spend quality time, or any time, with their children.

Then the children become wayward since they have no guidance from their parents, because the parents had to work three jobs to pay the bills and put a roof over their childrens' heads. I should make the point here that these folks often have to work two or three jobs just to pay rent.

The problem I have with all this is that Bermuda has a lower percentage of Bermudians owning homes than in any other so-called Developed countries. We are behind the US, Canada and the UK on this. I believe that an economy must be structured such that every working person, irrespective of their job, is able to afford housing. This means that the cost of renting or buying should not (as is the case now) take up more than 40 percent of an average person's earnings (putting a roof over your head should also be based on the earnings from one job ? not two or three).

Therefore, we have to provide decent, reasonable but affordable housing, that individuals and families that earn $50,000 per year can afford. Many of us forget that there are many people who don't earn six figure salaries. I submit that these people are in the majority. Therefore, unless we want to continue to raise wayward, latch-key kids, many of whom will engage in antisocial behaviour, we must make housing affordable to everyone who works. And they should not have to work two or three jobs to be able to afford to rent or buy a house. One solution is to increase wages across the board. Business owners might not like this recommendation. However, you can't have it both ways. Either you increase peoples' wages or you bring down the cost of living. We must do one or the other, and soon.

Otherwise, as Karl Marx predicted and as did later happen, we will have another revolution of the working class. They are the majority and if this situation and its economic imbalance continues for too much longer, the underprivileged will revolt. The 'Haves' think this is crazy and they wonder why people would revolt. They feel this way because they are not the underprivileged, irrespective of how each group reached their current status. It is said that you cannot understand a person's predicament until you walk a mile in their shoes.

The underprivileged don't care that they may have made decisions that prevented them from becoming wealthy, doctors, lawyers, accountants, underwriters, actuaries, teachers, etc. They don't care that many of those who did ascend to such positions probably earned it and didn't have it handed to them. All they care about is that in their current conditions, on their salary, they cannot afford the basic things. For anyone who is asleep today, we are already starting to see signs of a revolution; the spike in crime, the increase in violent crimes, the uncaring attitude of many of our young people, the gang violence, etc. These are telltale signs that there is a greater problem, which must be addressed. The underprivileged often reach a point where they feel that they have nothing to lose by revolting, so this is exactly what they do.

It is a sensible business practice to take good care of your employees. I learned this in the army and it is applicable in business as well as in Government. If you take care of those at the lower end of the scale, they will take good care of you and most likely repay you in loyalty, effort, commitment, dedication and hard work. So, let's create an infrastructure wherein everybody can afford housing.

Peace ?