If only they knew….

At Issue: The obvious lack of job opportunities in paradise born out of ignorance and neglect by politicians.

Our View: Must transcend good old and unworkable paradigms to revive the local economy “as we know it”.

A young high school graduate recently returned from the US mainland. He wanted to support himself or get real life experiences before returning to school.

As he reviews Job Vacancy Announcements, followed by phone calls for employment opportunities, the answer is usually about renewals and that the employer is simply going through labor formality.

He wanted to work because in he can’t stand the notion of staying at home and feeding off the retirement checks of his parents. He has pride in himself and in being a productive member of the family and of this community.
His chances of securing some sense of meaningful employment is very slim.
Opportunities are basically shut and bolted what with the local economy which has yet to reach rock bottom. This phenomenon further threatens his chances of finding a job not to mention the more than 300-400 high school graduates who leave campus right before summer.

As though time is at our disposal in jerky palm, the onslaught of the Asian Crisis was fueled by protectionist laws that have simply shut down more than 2000 tourist-related businesses. Politicians and bureaucrats did everything that is politically correct focusing on quick-fixes over hard decisions that promise greater return over the long term.

These, coupled with the propped-up federalization plan, did nothing but force current investors to downsize while effectively discouraging future investors.
What’s the net result of this grand sense of adolescency among local and Washington politicians and bureaucrats?

The discouraging story of the young high school graduate is a microcosm of what politicians and bureaucrats have created for the new high school graduate and umpteen number of students who will be marching out of campus right after Pomp and Circumstance”. Is joblessness and abject poverty, born out of ignorance and neglect, the vision politicians and bureaucrats have for posterity?

Whatever happened to your sense of values and isn’t it true that values entail enhancing and enriching the lives of our people? Thanks to the new House leadership. At least there’s hope in the future of our children. Must exercise forward looking habits to guard the public good. Adolescency isn’t our definition of leadership. If only they (previous legislative leadership) knew….Si Yuus Maase`!