Environment Ministry comical

THE EDITOR: Again, TT’s public administration seems to be always working from behind the eight ball, rather than from in front of it. This time I speak of the lapse in the EMA Commission, even when the commissioners wrote to the Ministry of Public Utilities and Environment, reminding them of the expiration date and the need for someone to do something before their terms expired. They even indicated their willingness to continue serving, and yet no one did anything to affect their reappointment in a timely matter, and prevent the lapse.

It was only after the issue went public in the media, was Minister Dumas forced to do something. Come on boys, get your stuff together! You all are making yourselves look bad, amateurish and even comical to the public. You are like a gang that can’t shoot straight. I know that the government bureaucracy is “big” and people can get busy in their jobs. But with proper planning and in-place systems, these lapses in critical services to the country should not happen — unless the government is purposely letting these commissioners’ term expire without renewing or replacing them, for some political or other reason(s). These things do happen, you know!

Planning is the key to all these issues, and it seems to me that no one is in charge or acts like they are in charge to ensure that government agencies and other state-run enterprises are run effectively and efficiently, and without these hiccups in public administration. As one of your other letter-writers recently noted, we ought to be first aiming for second world status by 2020 from third world, before shooting so high at first world status by that date and missing the mark altogether. It is laudable as a nation to have this goal, but let’s be realistic too and not aim too high and end up shooting ourselves in the foot instead. This way we work our way into it by progression....3rd, 2nd, 2st; not leap into it without proper planning along the way.

KELVIN C JAMES SR
Port-of-Spain