HAS THE CONCEPT of good governance left us totally? Is Prime Minister Freundel Stuart asleep? Does he live by some code that says once he has appointed a Cabinet minister he cannot disappoint that individual?
It is absolutely unacceptable that one month after concerns were expressed about sewage leaking on to the streets from the South Coast Sewerage System, and after two announcements from the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) that they had fixed the problem that we can have residents complaining again this week.
We are curious to find out if Prime Minister Stuart had any harsh words for, or asked a single question of, his Minister of Water Resource Management Dr David Estwick, under whose portfolio the BWA falls, when the Cabinet met yesterday. The BWA reported that aged pumps were the cause of the problem: has any action been initiated to replace any of those pumps?
Our grand Independence celebrations take place in a few days, so it is hardly likely there will be any meaningful solution before then, but can we afford to have effluent pouring from sewer covers along Highway 7 on the South Coast when the 2016-17 winter tourist season starts in exactly 20 days?
How can those who are responsible for managing the affairs of the country appear so “unbothered” in the face of such a stink that can do untold damage to the one area of the economy that is showing considerable resilience in the face of all kinds of pressure? Are we waiting for some visitor to be splashed with effluent while walking the street, as has happened to some citizens, and then turn it into an international crisis via the Internet?
We find it absolutely amazing that after all the published articles and radio and television reports that the minister responsible has not had a single word to say; neither has Minister of the Environment Dr Denis Lowe.
To his credit, Member of Parliament for the constituency John Boyce has called for action, but we would love to have his take on the situation as Minister of Health. After all, a constant leak of raw sewage must concern the Minister of Health.
It is time for someone who has the confidence of the Prime Minister to tell him that this appearance of a country on autopilot has existed for far too long; that the confidence and hope of Barbadians are eroded even further each time we fail in one of the public duties that for decades we executed with hardly a hiccup.
There ought to be no doubt in the Prime Minister’s mind that his Cabinet is in need of a serious shake-up; that too many of his ministers appear to need a breath of fresh air or a rest; that the creativity that is so critical to successful leadership is not evident; that the inspiration citizens so often take from their political leaders is nowhere to be seen; and that by the performance of the Cabinet too many citizens consider its members disconnected from real life.
We know the parliamentary numbers don’t offer the Prime Minister much room to restock his Cabinet, but the least he could do at this time is reshuffle the deck. Surely the Prime Minister recognises that a failure to act now could result in a worse stink for the entire country than what has been flowing from the South Coast Sewerage System in recent weeks.
Fix the literal and metaphorical pumps, Mr Prime Minister.
