There was a popular tune called ‘The Night Shift’ with a phrase saying, ‘Every generation blames the one before’. The same is true in politics. Every administration blames the one before. Wouldn’t it be nice if instead the endings were “learns from the ones before”?The SAGE Commission’s Brian Duperreault’s Rotary speech was not, in my view, what some considered as an attack specifically aimed at the previous administration of civil servant and government employees. His thoughts reveal the cultural disparities that exist between government, and private sector generally.There are a number of items other than simple culture, which gave rise to some of the observations which he saw as negative. In 1998 when the PLP took office I’m sure if we allow honesty and free speech, the PLP’s support and leadership looked at the civil servants, particularly those at the top, as a hindrance and gatekeepers of repression. Much as the OBA, and many people today, see that same layer of civil servant as complicit with corruptions of the former government.There is something else also that went along with this; time has issued a changing of the guard from a generation of employees who saw the first electric type writer in the offices along with workers who saw real production in the field, to a new generation who for a host of reasons have an entirely different orientation.The growth of unionism, and the move towards certification and higher educational standards, are ingredients which became new compared to days gone, and now are commonplace factors in the modern workplace environment. The shift in the local economy from hard/technical physical labour, to soft technology and information, transformed the gender roles as money earners, while simultaneously lack of technical training with a 30 year building boom, marginalised Bermudian labour.The challenge is not the vision to which Brian spoke, but who will be the change agents in making things different. I remember the EPT (Educational Planning Team) back in the early 90s following the call to reform education. It was they who made the recommendations, but it was not they who did the implementation.The EPT were a politically neutral group of educators, and people with intellectual resource, and perhaps best suited to lead the implementation. Instead the Minister of Education, and government of the day, thought he would take the lead, and we all knew where that ended, a political brawl.I entered a few pointers in this dialogue because the workout initiative has to take into consideration more than attitudes and behaviours, as though the civil servants are a classroom of naughty children.There is a need for a complete national retooling, where the understanding, and buy-in, to make Bermuda both competitive, and wholesome, becomes part of our DNA, and a collective drive.We need an education, and message, that regenerates the idea of excellence and warm demeanour. I think we can achieve it, but only if we first understand that we need it. It is going to be interesting to see what we adapt as change agents. Perhaps it’s not too late to suggest that part of the SAGE mandate should, not only be to give a report of recommendations as a dry document, but, also to recommend what kind of agency would be best to facilitate the path towards change.KHALID WASI