Some Tough Decisions....You Never Know

While I wish to see a positive changed realized in my country, I know that there will be challenges and many bumps along the way. Everyone seems to have a solution but I still feel that with all the solutions, the mindset has to change first.

I watched "Speak You Mind" last night on BVI's JTV on Channel 55 and enjoyed the commentary from hosts Edmund Maduro and Courtney deCastro and the persons who called and sent text messages. A few major issues were discussed but one thing kept coming up. It was the 'mental slavery' of our people.

While we may want tax reform and more economic incentives for new businesses, the people have to first be ready for these changes. For a population that can boast a high number of persons with Associate's and Bachelor's Degrees, it is hard to believe that we are unable to unite for the same good cause.

I feel that the BVI has to come to this dilemma because we are afraid to make tough decisions that will help the people in the long run. An over-bloated public service which is still unable to fill key posts, a broken down infrastructure which the country has spent millions with the wrong people to rehabilitate, a flailing agricultural sector and an education system that has been under reform for so many years yet the drop-out rate is rising: these are just some of the issues.

Strong leaders make tough decisions:

• Festival will have to be scaled down to just one big event in Road Town. All villages/districts will be encouraged to participate.
• Sorry family members and friends, there will be no contracts for you unless your bid is the best and you are competent to do the work.
• Workers who are inefficient will have a chance to pull up their socks otherwise, pay cuts will be instituted and eventual early retirement or termination.
• Accountability will be first priority so if you waste it, you will pay for it or replace it.
• Technical personnel will have the final say on how infrastructural projects are to be handled.
• There will be no more arbitrary paving of ghuts or road paving. It must be properly researched and carried out - see previous bullet.
• Car owners will be billed for the removal of derelict vehicles. The Govt should not have to foot this bill. So if you have a new car, it won't get licenced until the old one is off the derelict list. If you have moved away, we will see your car for parts.
• Property owners will have land forfeited for non-payment of property taxes. For those who live on great-great uncle's land, we can send you to a pro-bono attorney to sort that out but the taxes must be paid.
• The one that sticks out to me the most is that if any person or business owes money to the Govt, then the Govt. should not be writing them any checks.

 The people are very reliant of the Govt for everything so it’s time to change the pace but only strong leaders will make these decisions.

I am for compassionate leadership but you can not be wasteful with the resources. At some point, better earlier than later, such decisions will become reality. There will need to be a balance. I know some will not agree with me but I do feel it’s time for some real action to get us back on track.

Let’s see.

"We From De VI" - words from Nick Daddy Friday

The Awesome Jam Band was lead by Nick "Daddy" Friday who died on October 4, 2005. Jam Band sang a Calypso songs that had us bouncing, shaking, rumbling, tumbling and even indicating like a car.

Although it has been close to six years since his passing, his voice is missed and his songs are still played. I can remember attending several jouverts in Tortola for East End Festival and also in Road Town. I sweated, I jammed and I enjoyed that music from Daddy Friday. I can remember when there was tension with the other local bands throughout the united Virgin Islands - Imaginations Brass, Seventeen Plus, Prime Time, Adjik, Violators and later on Showtime and Extreme Band.

Our Calypso has come a long way but the oldies are still great. I play "Horse Chip" and "Inspection Lane" for my children and they love that. We dance just as if we were in the jouvert live.

Rest In Peace Daddy Friday. Your legacy makes the young soca and calypso artists work even harder.

Favorite TV Sitcoms

These sitcoms are not in any particular order:
"The Cosby Show" - Loved the family vibe and the clean content which still touched serious issues. Reruns are still enjoyed.

"Frasier" - Frasier, Niles, Roz, Daphne and Daddy Crane brought me many laughs. I still enjoy the show in syndication because this was not the typical sitcom but the laughs did come.

"Everybody Hates Chris" - I do love this show and wished that it had another season. My children have grown to love the reruns of this show. This sitcom is much different to other sitcoms because it is narrated by Chris Rock who is hilarious. The comedy is not forced and the actors played their roles well.

"Girlfriends" - The theme song begins "my girlfriends - there through thick and thin" and the episodes show that Joan, Maya, Lynn and Toni were really there for each other. The girls went through divorce, break-ups, pregnant and birth, career changes, issues with parents and so much more.  The show was very relatable because the issues were real.

"The Game" - I do love this show and tried to follow up with it religious. It was one of the few remaining sitcoms on network television that featured African Americans. Although I am a Caribbean-African American, I was still understand the inferences made and love the humor. I enjoyed Season 4 on BET and look forward to Season 5.

"Let's Stay Together" - The first season of this show aired in 2011 but I am surely looking for new episodes for the next season.

This list is not exhaustive but if I sit watching all of these I will be exhausted from laughing.

Those Tough Decisions

We don't always make the right decisions but most of us mean well. Our choice of action may be too hasty, may be biased or may be deceitful. While these choices may have been stuffed with ill-will, good things can come out of any bad situation  - a blessing in disguise.

This goes back to the 'throwing under the bus' post. There are days when we are thrown and days when we do the throwing. Some times, it's just that we need to stand up for ourselves and the unfortunate person in the way get trampled or run over.

However, we always want good will extended to us. Therefore, we have to send good will to be able to receive same. We can't seek to set traps for our brother and expect to prosper. If we say we are trying to be like Jesus, which is a very tall order, we have to seek to do right to our brothers and sisters.

I have been repeating for a while that strong leaders make have to make tough decisions that can alter the culture of an organization, business or a nation. They can't be thinking about harvesting negative behavior to be successful. If we want positive outcomes, we have to give positive input. So instead of willfully making a bad decision, like to trip your brother, take that energy to do something that will uplift your situation, your attitude and the same brother.

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POEM: It's The Crook!!!!!!!!!

When I hear some people talking, one word comes to mind:
"CROOK"!!!!!!!
The crook that cooked the books
who does watch me with funny looks
never sorry for the freedom they took
However, let the truth be the quake that shook
cause now they out of the crannies and nooks
mouth running like a babbling brook
playing me like a chess rook
when they see my eyes - they play 'jook'
Look!
It's the crooooooooook!

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Oh Snap! Why I'm Online?

There is a lot to learn in this world. Access to the internet makes learning even easier. We can now take online courses or read 'how-to' manuals online. We can learn how to weave hair, ride a bike or change our car's oil.

Many people use the internet for mischief like forwarding stupid emails, make absurd comments on Facebook or minding each other's business on Facebook. It is tempting when certain people put all their business out there but it really is still their business. It makes me wonder what content the new seasons of Snapped - Complete Seasons 1 & 2 - The Killer Collection - As Seen on Oxygen! would include in five years. "Well, the trouble started when Susie commented negatively on Jane's page", the narrator announced...

Social networking works well once it is used for the right purposes. Politician, musicians, poets, photographers and visual artists surely have been benefiting postively through these media. I personally take advantage of these to promote my writing or upcoming events.

I also find great recipes and helpful articles online. I am also hoping that my online articles will be just as helpful and insightful to readers.

Remember, use the internet for the right reasons!

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Dynamics of a Team - The 'me' in there

There is no 'I' in team, but the 'me' has to be industrious to make the team successful. We are only as strong as our weakest link, but we all have weaknesses that decrease the team's strength.

The dynamics of a team is what makes it work well. Unity is a big factor because we all have to strive for the same goal. We also have to look at the talents that people have and utilize same for the best of the group.

The groups that I have worked with have always been interesting because there is always a slacker, an unskilled person and know-it-all. I've been the unskilled person before but once I can catch on - I'll be a work horse.

I typically prefer to work by myself but the latest project that I worked on was a yearbook project and my partner was AWESOME! She made things happen that kept the load balanced. Kudos to Andrea!

In reality, it is hard to find perfect matches or all dynamic minds to work on a project or to work with on a job. We have to really conduct a SWOT analysis so that groups can function better.

So instead of calling out the weakest link, let's find a way to get that link straightened, tightened and ready to work.

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What does a boss gain from holding back his employees?

What does a boss gain from holding back his employees? Do you really want to hold other human beings back from excelling? Do you enjoy manipulating others to the point that they want to scream at you?

We have a tendency to be threatened by people who think differently to us. In relation to me, go ahead and feel threatened because I will not always agree with you. I like when you push my buttons because I am 'the easy dog that bites hard'.

It's hard to believe that a country that has invested millions into educating its workforce still appoints managers who are not willing to promote their own. Who can change this? I am not sure how we can change this mind set. Politicians, by law, can't - only in relation to the Private Secretaries and Permanent Secertaries (for those with Ministerial posts).

It has always been my hope that supervisors would seek the best from their employees. To think that someone would set a road block on your highway to success is almost unimagineable. However, this is real!

What can we do in those sitations? I like to focus on other things that I can use my pent-up energy on rather than dwelling on the negativity. I like to know that I can excel because when I do, it still makes the others (yes - the hypocrites too) look good. They may still want to take the credit for the good I do but I do other good elsewhere so that will always permeate, saturate and dominate my character.

Let them think that they are holding you back because the time it takes them to plot against you, they are only setting traps for themselves.

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POEM: One, Two, Three

One, Two, Three
Some words are coming to me
Big, Small or Free
I want to chart my destiny
I want to live in honesty
I want to scream very loudly
It's all in me
It's all I see
It's all I want to be
One, Two, Three
Happiness is around me
Peace can be a reality
Joy makes it a trilogy
We can take it to the next layer
with the game of all the players
ignoring the naysayers
One, Two, Three
These words that came to be
were put together simply
with the love from within me

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STRESS = Strain. Trials. Resistance. Emptiness. Slothfullness. Shame.

Strain
Trials
Resistance
Emptiness
Slothfullness
Shame

I deal with stress by focusing my energy on other things. I play games, I write, I dance or I sing. i find a project to keep me occupied.

What is your way of dealing with stress? Do you eat or do you starve yourself? Stress can be very harmful. I've never planned to be bald or go grey early.

I have fun and I dance with my children and let that negative engery turn into positive fun and exercise. I do get bogged down sometimes and it's hard to cope, but we have to move forward. Reach out to someone - a family member, a church friend, a mentor, a counsellor or anyone who can help.

Don't let STRESS keep you down or make you unhealthy!

Let's turn the stress into:

Smiles
Triumphs
Resilience
Excellence
Satisfaction
Sanity

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