Quality and timely leadership

Mar 21, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

I have to take my hat off in recognition of the President of the United States. When timely and quality leadership were called for most urgently in the face of a ballooning national crisis, he has acted decisively and sweepingly. I wish that the same could be said for us here in this woeful, backward place.
Before going further, I admit to not having a high regard for the incumbent US leader, the merits or demerits of which I will not discuss at this point. But notwithstanding my longstanding position as to the efficiency and proper usage (or lack thereof) of the full authority of his high office in the right way and for the right objectives, I must be quick to applaud the actions that he has taken relative to the global pandemic that is coronavirus.
The Chief Executive of the US has led from the front and with his customary flair, but with uncustomary skill. After some initial uncertainty and feeling his way, he has settled down and given the grave task at hand, the kind of serious attention and immediate (I repeat immediate) action that the situation demanded.
Money, laws revisited, and policies put in place have all flowed.
Some state governors had already gone ahead with the right words, postures, and follow-up actions. I see this as political leadership casting aside the traditional nastiness of today’s politics and its bitter partisanship, through rising above the challenge of most pressing and alarming circumstances and delivering in a very tight space.
They are making the right calls; they are involved; they are genuinely committed. I am looking for, but not seeing the usual playing at politics, other than for the usual outliers and morons.
Switching gears and locales, I regret to share that I do not see the same here, or with the timeliness that our own still limited local situation required. We are too ensnared and embroiled in things elections. It as if almost nothing else matters. One of the questions and concerns that come to me is why are leaders not calling upon their people to stop congregating around courts and ballot boxes?
I do know what is involved, but I do not have any care over who has banked everything in outcomes or who will try to pull a fast one.
Those are the things farthest from my mind. I am worried that those same citizens and supporters who assemble before courts and ballot boxes may endanger us when they come down from their elections highs and mix with the regular population.
The exposure is exponential and that means involving me and you and our loved ones. Those who wish to commit suicide are welcome to do so amongst their own; but don’t bring COVID-19 into the general population. The issue is how is the latter going to be avoided, when we have what we have through the reckless fanaticisms that rage?
From a leadership standpoint (and with possible politics held in abeyance), the president has moved authoritatively but where are the others? Yes, they have made appearances, but those have been belated and appear to be more about catching up or saying something soothing for the sake of saying something.
I know of two citizens, from church, who have called the hotline, and both have only a sorry tale to tell. The good news is that they were answered at the hotline, but the promised helping hand, through a follow-up phone call and inquiry is yet to happen.
In both of the two instances, each person called since Tuesday, relatives of one called again on Thursday. They are still waiting. And something tells me that they are not the only ones. If this is occurring when we have five confirmed cases, then what if matters become numerically otherwise?
On the other hand, I commend those local places and powers that have taken the ball and run with it in their respective places, be such in the private or public sector. They have taken wise and practical precautionary steps. The first order of business was to minimise and calm. I think they got there early. I wish there were more like them.
Of course, despite the times and priorities of the hour, I am still astonished that what I have detected at the ministerial and other levels leave much to be desired. Talk aside (or accounted for), there are credibility and reliability issues.
May the worse be behind us. Just as elections kicked oil off the news, I did think that coronavirus would have then knocked elections cold and away from the nation’s attention. I am still learning about this place and its peoples and what matters here.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall

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