The mainstream media frequently asks for the public’s opinion, yet, when it is given, it’s seldom taken.
We listen to views and interviews and no doubt get suggestions and ideas worth considering, yet the establishment never considers them as valid information for development purposes.
Take, for instance, the subject of criminality – and the way the state and the police deal with it, obtaining little success as it relates to dealing with the scourge, no surveillance, no technological formats used or utilised.
It has been suggested many a time that the police force needs a shake-up by way of a purge; we need to get rid of the corrupt and non-confidential ones. It has also been suggested that at least twenty percent of the cops hired should be of foreign origin to avoid the “Don’t see, don’t know and don’t care” attitudes, but we treat that view point as nonsensical.
The region should also designate an island where witnesses can stay protected, at least until the culprits are incarcerated. But again, they expect the people to give information and bear witness without having protection from the criminals.
We know that the wheel of justice is usually as a standstill, yet we don’t beef-up the judges, magistrates, nor court venues.
But even with all that said, how do we move forward without affecting such change when not even information is readily available to persons seeking justice?
We also know that the civil service is overstaffed with non-functional staff, but we do nothing to put the right persons in the right jobs, and get rid of the undesirables.
This party-hack and constant nepotism and family-and-friends employment module has to change, if not, Crapo smoke our pipe.
We have heard of the need of prosecuting the white-collar culprits that are responsible for spear-heading criminality, but they go untouched. We encourage persons to become self-employed, but would not create the spaces or the means for them to ply their trade, or give them the necessary training nor support.
Tourism is all about visitors, but not about nationals profiting from their presence. We talk about our local cuisine and quality dishes, but no place to buy them; we do not have dining and recreational facilities, the arts and entertainment are seasonal and no growth at the national level.
So many ideas, suggestions that seem to be uttered, but do not seem to be acknowledged or accepted as sensible opinions and never sees daylight. But if we must grow, we must listen and act on most if not all these suggestions because it is the voice of the people – and who feels it knows it.
We need a stake in our country’s development, after all we are the legitimate citizens. We live and dine and know the shortcomings, but don’t expect non-progressive persons to run things, or be the movers and shakers of change.
Governments have to change with purpose and give hope and protection to its citizens. We can’t do the same thing all the time and expect things to change for the better.
Mr. Ishmael, you must understand the bedroom culture of bor-bol, pwa-fa-was, boss man, suiteway, and other damning , negative human habits is indelibly stamped on the psyche of the average St. Lucian.
That crab-in-the-bucket mentality is the everlasting stumbling block in the path- company executives, government policy makers and those who control the political and social and corporate machinery that operate various structures of St. Lucian society.
But can these people look the devil in the eye and say, I Don’t take bribes! Are they able to introduce new paradigms of business and commerce; enough to boost autonomy in the personal development of St. Lucians?
Which generation of St. Lucians will (over time) develop the attributes necessary to ban bobolism in its social, economic , political and business dealings?