COMING TO GRIPS WITH REALITY

Feb 05, 2017 Editorial, Features / Columnists

The government has the pivotal and compelling role to inform the citizens of the state of affairs of the country no matter how unpleasant or unpopular the information may be. Regrettably, after almost two years in office, the public cannot say with any certainty that they have any truer picture of the state of affairs of the country.
The government has not articulated any policy of how it would provide a better life for all. Very little information is being disseminated to the people which suggests that its public relations team is faltering.
The wider public seems to be waiting for answers about the development of the country but there is none. The task ahead for the government on the current problems facing the economy seems very difficult. The sugar industry is bankrupt, production has been reduced in most sectors, the price of commodities has been falling on the world market, and it looks like the bauxite industry is dead.
The country is at a crossroad, and the decisions the government makes from here on could seal its fate. There is little to gain from arrogance or an intransigent administration that would dismiss sound advice and proposals from experts and highly professional and qualified personnel who are not functionaries of the government. It is always wise to have a neutral group with no axe to grind to report on the performance of the government.
It would be wise if those in authority could strip themselves of such mentality, and not constrain themselves to their own views and ways of thinking. This is not the time for incompetence, gross mistakes, murky deals and mismanagement of the state resources.
Many are tired of the shenanigans from the government whose only major achievement so far is the cleaning up of the city, the restoration of Merriman’s Mall and the D’Urban Park project. Today, a large segment of the population, mostly youths seem no longer interested in the political system. Many are frustrated because they are hopeless about the future.
Many if not most of the people have not benefitted from the decisions of the political leaders. In particular some of our youths are angry and are in despair at not knowing how to survive other than to turn to crime and gang violence. Jailing them is not the best answer.
What is urgently needed right now is a national programme like the National Youth Service implemented in the 1970s by the late Forbes Burnham government. Also, all must come together to help the less fortunate from the impending doom and gloom that have surrounded their lives.
The suggestion that the government is working for the good of the people is of little encouragement to them. The government does not necessarily have all the answers to the problems affecting the nation. No matter what, the road ahead will not be easy for the people, mostly youths, given the fact that some public officials felt that the youths believe that they are entitled to have jobs in the government.
This type of attitude by some youths is what is creating a rift between them and some in the government and the elders in society.
The government spent a lot of money to celebrate the country’s 50th independence anniversary. Some say that the money could have been better spent without understanding the economics. The amount of money that came into the country and the benefits far exceeded what the government spent.
Many reaped the benefits. Now more than ever, everyone needs to come to capitalize on the investment opportunities; and there are many.

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