Dear Source:
The recent shootings have and will create a lot of discussions, a lot of meetings, a lot of sermons, a lot editorials, lots and lots of talk! And in all that dialogue we will continue to hear good ideas and suggestions to fix the problems. More police, more security, more laws, more by itself is not the answer.
We must first recognize and acknowledge that the dis-ease in our families, communities, government, our Virgin Islands is the direct result of a complete breakdown and deterioration in our values and society. We are all responsible, each and everyone of us. We do not need to waste time and energy pointing fingers and laying blame.
We must begin the individual healing which leads to the healing of our families, communities, government and our Virgin Islands. The journey to wellness begins with you and me. First, we need to forgive ourselves and each other for the predicament we find ourselves. Healing begins and continues by improving the quality, productivity and delivery of government services which will then improve the individual and collective conditions of all.
Services improve when we invest in those that deliver the services. Establishing flex time, staggered work hours, telecommuting, onsite childcare and onsite after school programs are indeed an investment in our human resources and increases and improves moral and productivity. With government leading by example private sector will be challenged to make the same investment in their human resources.
Establishing a living wage reduces the number of children and families living in and below poverty allows families more opportunities to spend time as a family thereby reducing unsupervised conditions our children are in.
It is critical to involve all segments of a community in developing a multi prong approach to restoring safety, law and order. As editor and publisher of The Peoples Choice, a weekly tabloid, I challenged the readers by and with this headline, Cancel Carnival 1989. The last sentence in the headline reads, if we react to the issues today the way we react to canceling carnival the Virgin Islands would be a better place.
If we responded with solutions to the issues that were challenging us then, we would not be having this conversation today. Imagine if we planned for our future like we plan, prepare, practice, sacrifice, go into debt and starve ourselves for carnival, don't you think things would be better? Each of us can and should be a part of the solution to improving the quality of our lives. Let us all step up to the plate and use our skills, energy and resources to and for a better Virgin Islands.
Be the change that you want to see!
Stephanie Scott-Williams
St. Thomas
Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.