NOTE-WORTHY
Published:Tuesday | February 23, 2010 | 12:00 AM
FINSAC enquiry and what it will reveal!
A government is expected to protect the interest of its people. The government of the People's National Party of the 1990s failed to effectively manage the affairs of the economy leading to the meltdown of some financial institutions. The suggestion that the then government acted in the general interest of the economy does not absolve it of the need to make prudent decisions. The results of the FINSAC enquiry will reveal the ineptness of the government and the ensuing corruption in granting special waivers. Holding government accountable is an essential to properly functioning democracies.
Arthur McKenley
Dealing with contradictions
The education system needs fixing and there is severe overcrowding in schools, yet there is talk about dismissing teachers. Create more classroom space and bring the ratio down to 25:1, 20:1, and 15:1.
We cry about the state of the nation's children and still we are reluctant to open our doors to them. We say the church is not doing enough, yet we won't send our children to church. Many only look to the church for hand-outs and miracles.
When in opposition we oppose, oppose, but when in government we want consensus and dialogue.
We need to look at our follies and repent.
John Polack
Tackling declining social norms
While I welcome the move by the St Catherine police to penalise males wearing their pants below their waists, exposing their undergarments, I'm afraid this initiative has come about too late in the day. The same can be said of the recent establishment of a committee to correct coarse behaviour and disorder, which has become the norm for us. A striking and disturbing example of this disorder was a news story yesterday morning, regarding students who were conducting a "fiery protest" because they were locked out by their principal for habitual latecoming, they then proceeded to stone the principal! Have we gone completely mad? Some time ago, I wrote about the increasingly popular practice of parents locking school gates and making demands on schools and their administration. It was only a matter of time before the children followed suit. We need to learn to nip bad behaviour in the bud and not wait until situations become explosive before we act. Deeply ingrained deviant behaviour is more difficult to reverse than any economic crisis in which we might find ourselves.
Karen Henry