A country where sub-standard governance is called masterful and excellent

Dear Editor,

It was quite insulting to hear the prime minister and some of his Cabinet ministers heap praises on themselves on how the affairs of this country were managed during this pandemic and the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian

Most insulting of all was the deputy prime minister going so far as describing the government management of this pandemic as masterful.

Similar delusional and self-serving praises were expressed by other Cabinet ministers, namely, the ministers responsible for education and financial services and immigration.

I will not exhaust editorial space enumerating the many missteps and inconsistent and erratic decisions made by this administration, which exacerbated the pain and frustration many individuals and businesses were subjected to during this pandemic and the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, as they are well known to many.

What is undeniable is that this government was faced with some challenging events (a major hurricane and the pandemic). It is equally undeniable that the government’s management of these events and their aftermath exacerbated the pain and suffering endured by many individuals and businesses.

To say the government’s management of these events was masterful is just plain laughable.

While there have been one or two bright spots, there has been nothing masterful or excellent about the running of this country for a very long time and this goes back several administrations.

This administration is no exception despite their propensity to embellish their low achievement.

Politicians should not seek to praise sub par performance or seek to convince people to reward it.

Nothing impedes the development of a country and its people in reaching their full potential more than when you have persons in political leadership seeking to praise and reward sub-standard governance or mediocre performance in our everyday pursuits.

It is even more repulsive when they would go to the extent to describe sub-standard achievement as masterful.

Politicians should not expect us to limit our expectation of them to equal or match their limitations or incompetency.

They ought to encourage us to expect and demand more of them, and commit themselves to giving a better account of stewardship in governing. To ask us to accept unsatisfactory leadership is a promise that we will get more of it.

I am also offended to hear our political leaders declare in relation to their management of this pandemic, that “we are doing the same thing or are employing the same measures as they are in America and elsewhere around the world”.

What you are suggesting is that we ought not expect or demand any more out of you than the citizens of those countries demand or expect of their leaders.

By asserting such, it is also an admission on your part that you are not equipped to forensically examine our indigenous or unique circumstances and skillfully formulate a plan that takes into consideration our unique circumstances.

We should aim to be the best we can be, not the best that America or other leaders in other parts of the world can be. Many of them in my opinion should not be followed.

Offending humankind

I am also offended that this administration should heap false praises on itself or find satisfaction in its governance when it is demonstrably clear that its people in large numbers are living a diminished quality of life and are seeking government and charitable assistance to meet their most basic needs.

It offends basic humanity and humankind for a government, in its desire to be re-elected, to boast about how much assistance it gave to the poor and the less fortunate, who find themselves unable to meet their basic needs, especially when their inability to do so is a result of the government’s ill-advised decisions and conduct.

Many of these individuals do not find it pleasurable that they require government assistance and parliamentarians ought not take pleasure in boasting or running their re-election campaign/platform at the expense of these individuals whose diminished economic capacity, is, in many cases, a result of government’s ill-advised decisions.

I end with a quote by the inspirational author/writer ― Israelmore Ayivor: “To a hungry person, every bitter food is sweet. When the preferable is not available, the available becomes preferable!”

— Claude B. Hanna

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