Alfred Dawes | Wishes for less bumpy roads in 2021

In a recent homily, Archbishop Emeritus Donald Reece wrote to his congregation, “Roadways in a country are crucial for any development of peoples and their cities and rural communities. Because of recent storms, many roads are now made impassable or totally destroyed. With many of these roads out of operation, villages are cut off from facilities needed for fostering the required quality of life and livelihood. Roadways are like the veins in our body that interconnect with the heart and other vital organs for the total well-being of a person; if these veins are damaged, the body suffers or ceases to exist.”

He went on to say, “This present pandemic is comparable to the desert experience of the Israelites pining for the revelation of the glory of God in their lives. Though not desirable, the pandemic provides a desert experience for looking at self and to seeing what rough roadways need repairing. Perhaps it is a family relationship that needs smoothing out; perhaps it is the proud attitude that prevents forgiveness of those who hurt us; or perhaps it is a self-hatred camouflaged as inferiority complex that needs to be recognised and uprooted.”

In reading his words, I was reminded of the very motivational but incorrect saying that the Chinese word for crisis is made up of the syllables for danger and opportunity. This is often used as a reminder to look for deals and profits out of the misfortune of others. The true translation, however, is that of a syllable for danger and the other meaning a crucial point or change point. In the face of a disaster the crucial point is whether we focus solely on profiteering from the crisis or we examine what roads have been damaged and what is worth fixing. Many of the roads that suffered recent damage lead not to economically viable areas that are worth the outsized investment to repair, but are simply conduits to votes.

DEEPER MEANING

The trillion-dollar investment in roads, if ever it were to materialise, would never be guided by long-term development plans, but instead would be hijacked by party politics. Fortunately, we do not have such considerations in our personal and business lives and are unencumbered should we undertake a dispassionate analysis of what roads damaged by the events of 2020 are worth repairing.

To say this year has been disruptive is the understatement of the century. However, this disruption has not meant disaster for everyone. For those who were fortunate enough to position themselves to benefit from the chaos are smiling now. But for the vast majority who have lost loved ones and income, they struggle to find a deeper meaning in what is happening. For some, it is a crisis of faith as they see the poor and vulnerable sink deeper into despair while the wealthy see their assets triple in some instances. For those who seek to find the positives in the crisis, the archbishop’s allegory serves them well. At this crucial point, try to find which roads are worth fixing and which ones are worth demolishing.

On a personal level, it may mean ending a toxic relationship, whether business, family or friends. Some strained relationships are not worth repairing because the opportunity cost and the long-term stress are not worth it. Use the remainder of the year to evaluate who is worth keeping and which baggage you should leave behind in 2020. Please do not quote me in your break-up conversations. Thanks.

EVALUATING PRIORITIES

On a national scale, we need to evaluate our priorities as a country with the vision to enter the ranks of the First World. The decades-old reliance on tourism has left manufacturing and agriculture flailing in the winds of COVID-19. Food insecurity has become a real threat. We need to take this opportunity to re-examine our agricultural sector. The cycles of scarcity and gluts will not lure any serious investments in agriculture. The implementation of newer technologies and refocusing on different types of crops, as well as value-added products, must be the new roads we build.

Sugar cane is dead. We need to stop spouting about how many people are employed by the industry and put the lands to more efficient use so those persons can be gainfully employed rather than living off a taxpayer-subsidised white elephant. After all, the horse and buggy and typewriter industries were mega employers in their day.

Businesses have become leaner. Re-evaluating our finances and trimming the fat in our expenditures should be a priority. Not just on a personal, but on a national level as well. The materialism fed to us by modern-day capitalism has brought more distress than pleasure of late. Wasteful spending due to corruption has made us worst off as a country.

For those of us who never rose during 2020, let us chart our way forward, using the destruction in our lives to guide which roads to take us there.

- Alfred Dawes is a general, laparoscopic, and weight-loss surgeon; Fellow of the American College of Surgeons; former senior medical officer of the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital; former president of the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association. @dr_aldawes. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and adawes@ilapmedical.com.