Tragedy that is our nation

THE EDITOR: Our tragedy is that despite being endowed (blessed?) with an abundance of cash-convertible resources we have failed miserably to convert these to meaningful development or resources for our people. Rather, we have watched quietly and stupidly while our "leaders" have wasted and watched these resources waste away.

We went through two massive oil booms with inflated oil prices beyond our wildest hopes. Much of what we built (developed?) has rusted or collapsed from corruption and/or neglect.

They include our roads and highway systems, our drains and rivers, our water and electricity supply systems and, indeed, everything is at a disastrous state of collapse.

Crime continues to be an insoluble blight. The only thing changing is more powerful guns and gangs. I had hope in 1956 and again in 1963 that we could develop as a society, as a country, but I no longer harbour that hope – or wish(?). Reality demands that we acknowledge our failure so that we can begin to correct and redevelop our society.

But will we? Could we? And could we commit to starting this task on this independence anniversary?

What do you think?

PETER O'CONNOR

Cascade