ENJOY THE REST FROM SNOW AND COLD, COUNSELS THE BARD

WINTER SCOLD
(Warm and healthy 2021 to all)

It’s Boxing Day, the lawns are green,
Snow’s all melted from the scene.
The forecast warm for most next week,
Could see New Year in weather meek!
May days in late December!
Sunny skies to long remember.

Is this the Global Warming??
That’s banished winter’s storming,
More likely, winter’s wrath will roar
Before the summer’s at our door -
Enjoy the rest from snow and cold -.
Bring on the ‘Warming’ to winter scold.

                                                                             John Tuach

                                                                          December 26, 2020

PLASTICS INSPIRE THE BARD'S "Humbug" SIDE

PLASTIC JESUS

 (Humbug)

The Amazon and Walmart dolls
Leave the world with plastic sprawls -
The moulded plastic, cents at most,
Tens of dollars on-sale boast.
The moola pours to big-box stores
And corporate profits soar.
Jesus and the Easter Bunny,
Jingle bells, send plastic money
To landfills full of plastic waste.

PREMIER MUST RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM

 Guest Post by Ron Penney

“Justice must not only be done it must also be seen to be done” 

The recent controversy about the interactions between the Chief of Police and the former Premier and present cabinet ministers brings to mind the aphorism quoted above, which comes from a decision arising from an apprehension of bias in the judicial setting, but has equally applicability to actions of the police.

Our police forces have immense power and the mere fact that you are under police investigation, even if it doesn’t result in charges,  can be a life altering experience, which is why confidence in a police force can be seriously eroded if the general public isn’t confident that that there isn’t political pressure to commence an investigation, end an investigation or interfere during the course of an investigation. 

THE BARD'S "PRIORITIES"

Priorities

Priorities have to be food and shelter,
Heat and health, not helter-skelter,
Not rushing around to party hard
Or relax in the sun on travel card.

Not dollars and cents, makes no sense -
Can’t eat construction, nor money immense
Though gives you the means to provide -
Those at food banks have nowhere to hide.

Donations to charity, won’t bring parity
Or provide for a future fixed with clarity.
Government funds to feed the skint
Needs be provided to prolong life’s stint.

John Tuach
Dec 12, 2020

THE TIMING OF THE NEXT PROVINCIAL ELECTION

Guest Post by Ron Penney

Under section 3.1 of the House of Assembly Act, an election is required to be held within 12 months of the swearing in of a new Premier, which occurred on August 19, 2020. So an election is required by August of next year. 

It is obviously tempting for the new Premier, operating in a minority situation, and having a recent further reduction in his caucus, to call the election sooner rather than later. This is  particularly the case because Dame Moya Greene will provide her interim report on February 28, 2021 and final report on April 30, 2021, focusing in large part on our fiscal crisis and  how we should respond. 

In addition, we have so far had a good public health response to the pandemic and federal programs have alleviated to a large degree the economic impact on most families. Given the imminent rollout of the vaccine, and should the caseload remain low, it will be to the political advantage of the government to go to the polls sooner rather than later. 

And finally, the governing party is riding high in the polls 

The Government should resist that temptation. 

NALCOR BONUSES: A FLAT-FOOTED MINISTER "RE-IMAGINED"

If the Industry, Energy and Technology Minister had cleaned house at Nalcor immediately upon his arrival, we would have applauded him. No applause is necessary.

The public moans, again, over Nalcor’s narcissistic leadership; a “runaway train” unbowed and unpunished.

How many successive years has it been; repetitious and frustratingly undeserved bonuses given to Nalcor officials? Why is government so deaf? How is it that no institution in the province possesses the capacity to, at least, nudge them to change? 

It seems Andrew Parsons knows not where to begin. It is a far tougher job than the Justice Ministry, a place where rules abound, a bevy of lawyers administer them and even make the political role routine.

Industry and Natural Resources is different. It requires personal energy, brains, creativity, boldness and above all leadership.  The job has been vacant for a very long time.