DEVELOPING A SENSE OF URGENCY!
HARRIS AT LARGE!
September 2, 2021
DEVELOPING A SENSE OF URGENCY!
“In the face of adversity, we have a choice. We can be bitter, or we can be better. Those words are my North Star.†Caryn Sullivan
It has been a week of intense activity on the political front here in Saint Lucia. We saw the first sitting of parliament and urgent bills presented to members of that august body. It should be the hope of all Saint Lucians that the country navigates a path to establishing transparency and accountability that will strive in a state of inclusiveness, especially those citizens who uphold the principle of good governance.
Based on the developments of the past two and a half years, most persons have had to adapt to the new normal that operates in a restricted environment. The situations that emerged with the lockdown in the first instance which lasted three months, followed by curfews, working from home wherever practicable, and limiting outdoor activities, while adhering to the protocols of wearing masks, washing hands, and social distancing. Staying ahead of the COVID 19 pandemic has brought about changes in the way we live, work and socialise.
In turning our attention to work ethics, it should be no surprise if we find that productivity has suffered and many persons are taking advantage of the situation to deliberately do very little. In some cases with no thought that whatever has to be done, should be done efficiently and in a timely matter. Employees and professionals in the public and private sectors will need to step up and commit themselves to serve our citizens in all areas of human existence with empathy. Persons who were fortunate to have maintained their income at the pre-COVID 19 level should be extremely grateful to their employers. Going forward, we should commit ourselves to do all things necessary to play our part in ensuring that we perform to our optimum level. In so doing our country’s economic performance should achieve an acceptable level in the shortest possible time.
There is a lot of frustration being experienced by individuals seeking to do business in the private and public sectors where simple transactions are taking much too long. It is clearly a situation that there is absolutely no sense of urgency. Our citizens need to be energised and programmes should be put in place to stimulate productivity. The new political leadership needs to meet with their employees collectively and individually to set out the vision and expectations for the involvement of their ministries. On the other hand, members of the private sector must also engage and motivate their employees in achieving expected goals that will provide acceptable returns on their investments. To achieve a positive impact on the economy, continuous communication will be necessary. There is a lot of work to be done. It will take all hands on deck, and teamwork to make the dream work. The fact is that a sense of urgency is vital to the future progress of our nation. Deferring today’s activities which can be executed during the course of the day for a future date, is not an option.
An update on COVID 19 which is surging in our beloved island must be discussed. St. Lucians are being exposed to every form of misinformation and disinformation which certain persons among us take pride in sharing with their friends on social media and groups. They feel a sense of importance as having privileged information but this is far from reality and they should be held responsible.
Adjustments to the COVID 19 Regulations are continuing and it is hoped that the steps taken will bring relief to the scourge that is upon us. We must be willing to take the necessary steps to arrest the situation. It will take the cooperation of all of us to ensure that we return to some form of normalcy in the shortest possible time. This is a health emergency that needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. While some of us may not be willing to accept actions that are mandatory, it is obvious that only those who are willing to apply discipline in their lives and adhere to the Protocols will survive these trying times.
Stay safe, stay home. Keep the faith, Yahweh is in charge. We shall overcome.
Edward Harris
Freelance Journalist/Realtor/Business Consultant
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Email: eaharrisdestiny@gmail.com