Poop runs uphill. Almost every problem Montserrat faces can be directly traced to lack of leadership.
Lack of good jobs can be traced to obstacles to create new business. What possible reason can be given for permits taking months, if not years? Surely, someone with leadership authority could say “approval or denial within 10 days”. It’s not like people have piles of applications on their desks.
The majority of residents on Montserrat are now immigrants. Surely, someone with leadership authority could say “let’s make it possible for people to become productive taxpayers and consumers – by helping them, not creating obstacles. What can be done to make this process easy, fast and affordable?”
The outrageous cost of living could be addressed by adjusting duty and fees on many goods and services. Yes, we need revenue. Surely someone with leadership authority could say, “Let’s abandon the ’pay to play’ system and stop showing favoritism to a select few. Everyone will play by the same rules and then we can afford to do this.”
Surely, someone with leadership authority could say, “Let’s make a plan and decide what our priorities will be. What would make quality of life better for our residents? Would an MRI machine be more beneficial than a new building? Would a breakwater be more beneficial than filling in Piper’s Pond? Which should come first?”
Everyone has a boss. Politicians are accountable to the voters. A store owner is accountable to his customers. A government employee is accountable to political leadership. How hard would it be to say, “I am your boss. This is the way things will be done if you want this job.” And follow through. Good leadership inspires people to follow. Not because they have to, but because they want to. People don’t want to let a great leader down.
Good leadership sets goals that are easy to achieve. How hard would it be to maintain vehicles instead of buying new ones?
How hard would it be to maintain employment by giving people jobs that will make a difference to quality of life issues? Many jobs could focus on tourism, such as improving beaches and roads used by tour buses. Hospital jobs that will give us the best healthcare in the region and bring tourists and money to the island.
The same people doing worthwhile things, that will move our economy forward. How hard would that be? Montserratians are proud people. They are willing to work hard, but they want their work to count for something.
We need leaders people want to follow. Leaders with common sense and integrity. It takes goals, people working together towards those goals and LEADERSHIP.
It seems clear that we must stop doing things the way we have always done them.
Nancy Dahlen
491-5329
Mivoice@candw.ms
