May 4, 2007

WHAT a pleasure it has been to have items in your newspaper in consecutive weeks that really make sense and “tell it how it is”. The first was, of course, your editorial “The Doctor will charm you now” (Mid-Ocean News<$>, April 20) and the second the letter headed “No man’s wise enough to be trusted with unlimited power” from “Vigilant in Devonshire” which appeared on April 27.In your different ways — one has to think that “Vigilant” leans towards the Progressive Labour Party politically — you express an alarming lack of trust in the island’s leadership. Understandable when one considers the many blunders made, reversals of decisions, spendthrift way in which the tax payers’ money is spent and lack of a coherent strategy for the future of the island. It is all very well to talk about encouraging international business but every day we read about yet a new restriction on the ability of international business to work here.

It seems that all too often decisions are made or policies put in place without properly considering all the consequences. The apparent inability to ask the question “what if” is a sign of bad management at best and incompetence at worst.

There is a theory in management that no-one can manage comfortably more than five areas of responsibility at a time and yet the Premier is responsible (according to the chart published in a Royal Gazette>supplement recently) for some 11 Ministries PLUS Management Services, Communication and Information, Human Resources, Statistics, Tourism, Civil Aviation, Airport Operations, Marine & Ports, Transport Control and a string of “dotted line” responsibilities.

Phew! It is perhaps, surprising that the island has not already come to a grinding halt.

Has anyone asked the “what if” question about what we would do if we did grind to a halt and lost the bulk of International Business? This would seem doubtful but necessary. Clearly, Mr. Editor, as you and Vigilant imply, and as we apparently approach a General Election we must be careful to consider all the consequences of what is proposed in the various election strategies and to be sure that they are not just more woolly words and generalisations signifying only what the politicians think we want to hear rather than getting on with the running of the country in a sane, trustworthy manner. Unfortunately.

COPERNICUS

City of Hamilton