Dear Editor,
When she started her tenure, it was if I was watching someone who does not understand her role, nor the art of effective communication. And, if I did not know the individual, I would have viewed her as someone who is educationally challenged. But as she settled in her function, she has learnt to overcome some shortcomings, and seemed encouraged to restore the image of her ministry, in the benefit of the country.
In the meantime, there are so many unresolved issues plaguing her ministry, that it is difficult to squeeze them into one article. For starters: What is Justice Minister Anna Richardson’s position on motorists with jet-black tinted windows? Is this a reflection of appropriate conduct, or is it not a violation of the traffic ordinance, which outlines the degree of tint that is considered acceptable?
Does the minister realise that the increase in extremely dark windows has quadrupled since the Council of Ministers decided to engage in this mal-practice? If this habit is displayed, with absolutely no regard for the public, then how can she expect other drivers to respect the police, when they instruct motorists to remove the tint from their vehicles? It’s not going to work, Minister Richardson.
This is a major issue. The impression created is that ministers could do what they please, but other drivers have to comply with the request of law enforcement. No, it does not work that way Minister Richardson. If you want law and order to be the standard by which you require the people to live by, then be the change that you wish to see.
On the other side of this increasing problem, what message are you sending to the police force? In my view, they have given up on fighting this growing dilemma, because the more they tackle this crisis, the more the public dares them to remove their tint. So, what’s the solution, Minister Anna Richardson? Would you continue to take a hands-off approach, or assert your role and be a partner with the entity that is authorised to maintain law and order?
Minister Anna Richardson, Attorney Roland Duncan is my favourite Minister of Justice. Do know why? He knew the law and so he had control over his ministry. Besides that, he educated the public, not in an academic way, but in a language that the people understood. That is why he wasn’t an easy walk over. Now, one can argue that being an attorney gave him the edge. But how many useless lawyers there are with the same knowledge?
Case in point: If Minister Richardson had pursued an interest in understanding her ministry, she could have been the most productive minister within the Council of Ministers. But because she has allowed her ego to get the better of her sometimes, and has also chosen to join her colleague ministers in ignoring the plights of the people, this trend has really stagnated her performance.
Let’s face it. The minister started out her term in office with an extremely cocky and don’t care attitude, especially, towards the police union, when she said that she didn’t need the job. But over the course of time, she tried to enhance her communication with them, even though she has failed to gain their trust and that of law enforcement in general.
Despite some serious drawbacks, in my view, Minister Anna Richardson is only minister who speaks well, and seems to know a little bit about her ministry. This opinion can be determined during her elucidations, when she is asked to expound on certain issues that relate to her portfolio. I truly wished that she had nurtured this skill and utilise it whenever she communicates with the unions and the general public.
So, in order to affect change, Minister Anna Richardson, it behooves you to be the change that you wish to see, as your ministry is like the compass that guides this country.
Joslyn Morton
