Square pegs in round holes

THE EDITOR: The Government’s financial year ends on September 30 and the chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation is asking for $12 million. What is the poor guy going to do with that amount of money? He just wouldn’t know what to do with it.

My granny was right. Some people have “book sense, but no common sense.” The man is a doctor, a lawyer, a tri-athlete, but he is definitely not a leader. Public relations practitioner maybe, as he always seems to attract media attention for the wrong reasons.

Did this learned individual stop to take into consideration the emotional trauma he would be putting his workers under by threatening their jobs? The man claimed the corporation had no money to pay salaries but then had to backtrack when some councillors found money in an equipment vote. Why were those people even hired if there was no money to pay them and no projects to work on?

Again, it might be important to note that this chairman and his colleagues constantly complain about not having financial resources to undertake any projects but find no creative ways of getting projects completed. The last thing he hosted in his municipality was a triathlon of all things. I believe there should be a criteria for appointing individuals to run state organisations. We simply can’t progress as a government organisation or as a country with this type of behaviour.

The next day I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed and saw a post by a councillor with the Princes Town Regional Corporation. This councillor was claiming that local government bodies needed to be further empowered and become self-sufficient.

Sadly, this councillor doesn’t realise the local government reform bill is modelled after the THA format, giving corporations further autonomy to govern their municipalities, that his leader supports the reform and has appointed several members to voice their party’s view during JSC meetings.

None of that is even relevant if they have absolutely no management training or vision to transform the corporation into a highly efficient organisation that is responsive to the needs of the community. Sun is always too hot to visit your burgesses or there is too much rain. The excuses are endless.

As the weeks progress, I expect to see a lot more social media videos and articles condemning the Government or begging for money as local government elections are in the air, so I am just going to put it out there: your voting base is no longer comprised of sugar workers. Their children have grown up. We are educated, independent and we can see through your propaganda. If you can’t do your job, get another one. Don’t even bother to seek re-election.

VANESSA DEONARINESINGH

Penal