The Unofficial CHOGM Holiday (Steups)

... don't appear to exist currently in our ministries and unions.

I was about to write about this same thing.  This week is one great celebration of lazy thinking.

First we have folks who wish to highlight Government inaction by encouraging citizens to take two days off at the start of the week to do exactly that - inact.  This reflects poorly on those from the COP and UNC who supported this call - it's not the anachronistic attitude I expect of governments-in-waiting at all.

Then we end the 'work' week with this undeclared holiday for schools and public servants in state offices located near Chewing Gum events.  We still have folks who think the whole of T&T must shutdown for events in Port of Spain?  This has mucked up students at one school in south.  Parents didn't know if teachers would be present at school, so they kept their children at home on Monday and Tuesday causing them to miss exams, leaving my teacher friend (who isn't a member of TTUTA - yet) to invigilate an empty class.  And then, when the principal tried to reschedule the exams to Friday, along comes this Ministry of Education circular.  Who suffers? The children, some of whom are writing life-changing CXC exams in just over six months.

Then they wonder why students are indisciplined, when indisciplined thinking runs rife through those who should be exemplary.  I'm heartened by the majority of callers to a radio chat show poll this morning who said that a national holiday shouldn't be declared for CHOGM.

I can't understand why businesses have to shutdown.  Even if you use the convenient excuse of national security, does this mean that on every other day except CHOGM Day, citizens are risking their lives by visiting Port of Spain?  Maybe they should've built conference venues and hotels in Tobago instead since that island is built for relaxed living; that way we can limit this virtual state of emergency to Tobago.

Secondly, if you're going to inconvenience business folk, such as the Breakfast Shed entrepreneurs, why not temporarily shift them to booths in the CHOGM Village at the Savannah?  At the very least, compensate them for loss of business due to the state's lack of creativity!

It appears that Productivity has been dropped as a national watchword by some of our esteemed leadership.

Now, let me go see what else I can use for a post...