Le Hunte cites positive attitude to get through difficult times

Minister of Public Utilities, Robert Le Hunte believed what makes a country great, and what would get it through these difficult financial times was the attitude of the people.

Speaking at PowerGen’s 16th Biennial Employee Recognition and Awards Ceremony at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on Saturday night, Le Hunte said the readiness of citizens to work towards a better future was also key.

He said the country was facing challenging times and that the current financial situation did not allow the country to continue business as usual. “And so a paradigm shift at the national level is needed if we are to respond meaningfully to the crisis in which we have found ourselves.”

He said Government outlined a comprehensive plan to put the country on the road to recovery in the Budget Presentation, but the resolve of the people to make it happen was not in the government’s control. “Indeed, it is my firm belief that money or the lack thereof is not what will determine our future greatness. We have gone through periods of a lot of money and we have problems, we have gone through periods of no money and we still had problems.

What will determine our ability to deal with the situation is our response to these challenges and the commitment that we must have among all of us to be better and to do better.”

Le Hunte said material resources, wealth, size or intellectual capital did not make a nation great but again stressed that it was people’s attitude made it great.

“That, of course, requires a transformation in our perspective, where we no longer do what we can just to get by but do what we must to build a society that empowers and enables its people to live a better life, and strive and achieve its fullest potential.”

He said every one, not only leaders in society, had a sphere of influence made up of connecting networks of people with whom they interact. He encouraged them to use that influence for change. “The state of our country is not just a reflection of our elected leaders and public figures but of us, every one of us.”

Therefore, he said he had plans to transform the various agencies under his purview. He hoped these plans would make efficiency, consistency, sustainability, integrity, and customer service a reality in the public sector in the months and years to come.