June 21, 2014

Dear Sir,

Before we begin, I’m not the ‘Anonymous’ who wrote about the college pot-heads but rather, a completely different ‘anonymous’.

Here’s what shouldn’t be essential services on the Island:

1. Ferries. Although they can be used to transport tourists and yes, staff members shouldn’t just down tools over fighting incidents, they shouldn’t be listed as an essential service. Those ferries aren’t going to go straight up to a person’s home if that person is feeling ill or, needs transportation within the minute. Therefore, it shouldn’t be listed as an essential service. However, workers downing tools over fighting issues, that’s actually a bad move especially as at least one or two ferries should’ve been on the water even if workers were mad about the outcome. It’s tourist season and you shouldn’t be pushing tourism aside to deal with an issue that could be resolved later or, that individual deal with problem himself.

2. Buses. When the bus drivers stopped work the other day, they did so because the bathrooms at both the Hamilton depot and the St George’s depot were out of order. By right, no individual should be forced to hold in waste as that’s a health & safety issue. Besides, buses don’t exactly drive straight up to a person’s house either. If that person, elderly or tourist, couldn’t make it to the bus stop in time, he or she would still have to wait or hope a friend can drop them at the bus stop.

Nevertheless, I do agree bus drivers ought to be on hand to transport tourists and the elderly to take them to destinations without all staff stopping over disputes.

Thing is, I don’t agree it ought to be a 21-day notice (14 days is long enough, to let any member of the public know what’s about to happen and yes, the public need to know before any changes are made first).

Now, what ought to be essential services:

1. Ambulances. They drive straight to an individual’s house whenever it’s an emergency. At times it’s sad, if they’re in traffic and an idiot is texting or has the stupid thing up to their ear and driving and blocking the vehicle’s way.

2. Fire trucks. Some may not get straight to a person’s house because of size, but those that can are a great help indeed in being able to assist when needed/in putting out fires when necessary.

3. Police. Whether it be on the water, in a car or on a bike, these are extremely essential (you should already understand why by now).

4. Taxis and limousines. These ought to be essential, as drivers can easily get to a person’s house, the same as a police car, police bike, fire truck or ambulance. Yes, they’re not emergency vehicles, but can act in such a way if getting an ambulance is difficult.

5. Gypsy cabs. Although you don’t see much of them in other countries, they can be of great assistance here. Same as (4), they could help out in the same way.

6. Mini-buses. Smaller buses would always be an essential service, as their smaller size means they are able to do what a normal bus cannot. Such drivers would be able to get close enough to homes where a regular bus would fail. The end result is simple: if such a vehicle is able to transport people in a certain amount of time, you get less complaints.

I hope this sheds some light as to what ought to be essential and what shouldn’t be.

ANONYMOUS