Dear Editor,
The year 2013 is over and gone and I’m sure that I reflect the wishes of most if not all Lindeners in saying I sincerely hope for a much better and more uplifiting community/region in 2014, free from the uncaring, selfishness and negatives that accompanied us last year, so that dark clouds are pushed into the background, new hope springs, and we have a prosperous, beautiful year.
As I keep saying, little things mean a lot. Jocelyn Morian, the lone voice in Kwakwani crying in the wilderness is once again shouting out hoping that decent and responsible officials will hear his call and put into action that new multi-million dollar ambulance which was bought to serve the people of the township instead of lying somewhere in Ituni exposed to the elements, wasting.
It is little things like these that tell you about the type of people we elect to serve us, champion our affairs. The ambulance, according to Mr Morian, is an expensive state-of-the-art machine, which “for the longest while… has been parked in the compound of Ituni Hospital.” Say, is he the only one who knows this? None of the reps, officials, elected officers is aware? Just who do we blame, point fingers at, for such don’t-give-a-damn attitude if something dreadful occurs? They are too many officials overly obsessed with a name tag and appellation, period; much show and meaningless talk, but a lack of commitment.
Mr Morian spoke of the road from Kwakwani to Linden which has been in a bad state for years, and is one of the reasons for the ambulance being parked. As he said, “You can have an ambulance as sturdy as a bulldozer, but if the road is not fixed it will be destroyed.” I remember taking some six hours travelling from Linden to Kwakwani, some six years ago during rainy conditions. When will there be some respite for the people of Kwakwani? During my visit there in May last, I found it is honestly not in nice shape; things have really fallen apart, but for now I hope that those elected officials get off their derrières and get the ambulance rolling.
And as we are onto this topic, I think it’s the right time to get this piece in. A thing about Linden folks is that they are seldom fooled, and that’s a good thing. No sensible Lindener refers to the recently built hospital as “state of the art,” as it was dubbed by government officials; given the definition of ‘state of the art’ it just doesn’t fit. Just like old times the dispensary can never satisfy prescriptions, never! All the excitement generated, the expectations and build-up awaiting its completion have long gone, vanished from almost the start; this hospital hasn’t lived up to the standards of what Linden folks expected. There is some slackness that goes on; it lacks the kind of professionalism folks would welcome.
Some people are disgusted and fed up. Which state-of-the-art hospital makes you buy water or have your family supply it from home? Where machines are out of order, so you cannot have certain tests done and must find somewhere else – of course at a cost? And still it’s strange that with all those million and one doctors it was boasted were returning, you still have to wait some days for hours to see one, when we ought to have doctors working twenty-four seven Sunday to Sunday. How could it be state of the art and people keep running to Georgetown for the slightest thing? State of the art my foot! And once again like a recurring decimal. Though we have become accustomed to some of the silliness that goes on in this community, they still annoy and rile us up sometimes to the point of having to talk. Now, it is either that our top functionaries in charge of our affairs are seriously concerned about the situation but lack the wherewithal to have things done, in which case they should let us know so as to clear themselves of being accused, or else they just don’t give a damn.
Now just look at the condition of many recently repaired roads as soon as it rains. You mean to tell me that there isn’t a single authority in spite of all that was being said which could take a come-and-see look at the road that leads to Regma Primary School? This is a narrow strip, broken up with holes, heavy grass and mounds on both sides that cause water and slush when it rains. A thousand vehicles roll in twice daily, along with motor bikes, bicycles, pedestrians and throngs of students ‒ all have to use and abide with that sad excuse for a road, where one vehicle must pull over to one side for the other to pass, even for someone on a bicycle. And none of the uppity people say a word. What’s wrong with us, do we have to be directly affected before we are forced to speak up? Maybe that woman is right who said to me “Fiffie you can write all yuh want, dem people don’t hear you.”
Let’s hope that for this New Year we see a marked improvement.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe
