It may seem somewhat ironic suggesting that we are are still in charge of our own destiny, given the challenges that have emerged during this last year — Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle with their unprecedented damaging effect on the agriculture industries, the dramatic fall of sheep commodity prices which showlittle sign of improvement in the foreseeable future, and the inflationary pressures on our economy which couldn’t have come at a worse time.
However, our people are resilient and have a proven record of overcoming adversity to emerge in better shape, ready to fight another day.
But this time the challenges are different and multi-faceted, requiring more than just a few visionary decisions from those who are in charge of the purse strings and oversight of community wellbeing.
Let’s be clear — we should be talking about decisions that will require a commitment from every man, woman and child to a plan that includes a restructuring of our regional economy and the attendant way we earn a living from the limited natural resources at our disposal.
It will not be enough to simply pay lip service to the problems we face in extricating ourselves from the current crisis situation.
Our leaders need to respond in a way that leaves no doubt in the minds of those experiencing unimaginable hardship that they are working their butts off trying to find a way to alleviate the suffering but, and perhaps more importantly, also show that they are capable of leading us to better times.
I have no doubt that it is possible for this region, in spite of our current difficulties, to come together and work on a plan for rehabilitation and restructuring that will ensure a better future. But in order to achieve that utopian dream, we must all be on the same page.
We can’t afford to allow special-interest groups with their inflated opinions of self-worth and entitlement to derail our attempts at rebirth, as they have done too often in the past.
Those groups have shown that they care little for the wellbeing of others and, as such, need to be told that they either work with us or risk being shown the door.
There will be no room on this waka for vigilantes or privileged activists who can’t work towards a common cause. Each person will have to play their part, because our combined efforts will only be as good as the weakest link.
It has to be a team effort where individual objectives must take second place in the battle for our future.
So, let’s focus on presenting a united front to the new Government which will have no choice but to provide the huge dollops of funds necessary to make our plan a reality.
But, for them to be impressed by our visionary ideas, we will need to demonstrate that we have done the research required in the construction of a plan that will work, and have hit on a formula that appeals to all sections of the community.
