Editorial
Casting a blind eye to Cayman's uncertainties
Uncertainty, in recent years, has become
a buzzword, especially for government, political honchos and doomsayers
who take pleasure in reminding us constantly of the "uncertain"
times in which we live.
There is talk of "economic uncertainties," political
futures that are "uncertain" and social programs that
may be cut because funding to sustain them is "uncertain."
That tomorrow is uncertain is definitely not news. It is a fact of life that we must all accept. But not all uncertainty is necessary, and in some case it can be eliminated with proper planning.
Yet, uncertainty has unfortunately become
a growing trend, and it's not only limited to these Islands. We
see it happening globally, even in superpowers like the United
States, where the uncertain economic climate is being ignored
by the George Bush administration as it pushes its own campaign
to eliminate terror.
It is said that the gap between governments and their people is
growing wider. Many governments now seem to cast a blind eye to
the problems facing their people. It's sad to say, but there appears
to be less and less certainty anymore.
It's almost as if public and private sector leaders are living in a microcosm of their own while the people face various economic and social problems.
Here in the Cayman Islands, we see examples of this uncertainty looming right in front of us. We often learn of projected dates for the completion of various social or economic projects. The dates duly pass by and we see and hear nothing.
We as a people recognize the constant pressures faced by our own government. We realize that the issues and challenges facing them are complex and seem to change weekly, if not daily. Recent times are no different.
First, there was the 9/11 terrorist attack on the nation that provides most of our tourists. Then there was the European Union's threat to our financial industry and the Euro Bank trial fiasco. Recently we witnessed the war in Iraq that could further weaken on our economy, and now, the global threat of the SARS virus is running rampant.
Many have confessed their feelings that the whole atmosphere today reeks of uncertainty. Making matters worse is the fact that the public is not always apprised of developments on issues that affect us all.
What we need is to find solutions to deal with the issues as they arise, with a rational and planned approach. We must also deal with them in a transparent and forthcoming manner.
In this regard, a number of questions simmering for quite some time come to mind:
When will this country get the new constitution it deserves, to give the country a modern instrument to meet the demands of the people?
What policy will be adopted with regard to imported labor? Will it offer security of tenure, or will it institute a rollover policy?
Where will we dispose of our trash once the landfill is overfilled?
If America's economy continues to falter and our stay-over tourism figures continue to drop, what can we do to stabilize our own economy?
In the long term, how will we pay for the additional infrastructure we will require to meet our increasing needs?
We cannot continue to live with uncertainties, especially ones that can be resolved with sound planning, strong leadership and effective communication.
Those who profess to care about our welfare should not turn a blind eye to the issues, but should instead proactively address the causes of our uncertainties.