Let us plan for the new year

Fri, Dec 30. 2011

Editor: Christmas has passed and we await the arrival of the New Year. Many would make resolutions, most of which would not be kept. However, it is important that we reflect on the year that has passed and see what was achieved individually and as a nation, as well as what was not achieved.{{more}} Those things that were not achieved and are still relevant would certainly remain high on the agenda for the New Year. Most important, we ought to focus on the things we want to do differently.

As I reflect on the year that has passed, I have to ask myself if we have made any progress as a people. We are still troubled by the high crime rate, unemployment, and most important for me, I cannot remember any Vincentian that has really excelled in any particular field. We have a tendency of blaming politicians for our personal failures, but we ought to remember that the potential of a nation is the collective ability of its people. No politician can force anyone to commit a crime, and there is always an alternative to committing a crime. The fact that we remain uncreative as a people means that it would always be difficult for persons to find employment. Well, I do not expect us to excel in any particular field because greatness is never on our minds. We are never striving to be great.

One of the problems that I do have with this country is that many persons who hold key positions do not possess depth in vision. It is always the status quo that is the order of the day. The intuitive skill is very much lacking. In addition, they do not engage the collective wisdom of our people. They often think that they know it all, leaving the majority on the fringes of the decision making process. There are many persons with great ideas that only remain in their heads because they are not being engaged in the process. We have to put our differences aside and try to come up with solutions to our problems.

It is time that we pay more attention to science and begin experimenting, even if it is just with people and their behavior. No one expects us to launch a rocket towards Mars, but at least we can come up with some things which are concrete and can contribute to the pool of knowledge. Let us experiment with a class of children and see if we can turn them into great persons. Let persons like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Jordan, Albert Einstein and Brian Lara dominate our daily conversations. Let the music we play on radio instill positive values in our children.

For the New Year, we have to begin doing things differently. It was Albert Einstein who said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different result.”

Mystic