Nine-Day Syndrome

Jokingly, that’s what we call it: the nine-day syndrome. It has become almost a symbol of our national character, to which we look – in some almost perverted way – with pride. What it actually is, is a tendency to wallow in a lack of follow-through – or follow-up – in regard to almost everything we do, no matter how important.
It is a characteristic wherein we leave practically everything open-ended, hardly ever see anything through to fruition, and go from one project/situation/calamity/disaster to another, in as carefree and irresponsible a manner as we can, without bothering to finalize anything, tie up loose ends, cross t’s or dot i’s … and we don’t give any of it a second thought: don’t worry, it’s a St. Lucian thing.
Is this a part of the reason why the youth and children are growing up without ethics, without a sense of responsibility, without looking to see that they follow anything over to its end and experiencing any pride in the accomplishment of a “job well done”?
We blow events hugely out of proportion at the moment they take place, threaten (or promise, as the case may be) to take action and resolve whatever it is that has to be confronted … and barely two weeks later, hardly anyone even remembers that whatever it was, took place.
Whatever happened in the case of Verlinda Joseph, who was found raped and murdered … and the authorities vowed to get to the root of the matter? And the case of Gisele Georges? And so many others?
Where is the National Monument, for which we held a nationwide competition and paid a handsome sum to the winning designer?
Is there, or will there ever be, a restarting date for the completion of the construction of the new mental hospital? Was it ever decided whether we were going to have one hospital, or two, or are we still trying to decide between Minister Mondesir’s plan and the original?

Whatever happened to the investigations into the police shooting of the passenger-filled minibus on the Vieux Fort/Castries highway, or the police shooting of the young man in the CDC Housing area … just to name two out of so many?
Was the guardhouse at Dr. Kenny Anthony’s residence ever dismantled, was it decided that he would pay for it, or was it left to him as a gift from a grateful nation for work well done during his term of office? And by the same token, what was the decision taken with regard to the rent being paid on the present Prime Minister’s residence? Was the decision ever made public?
Is our acting Police Commissioner still acting? And for how long? And what happens if and when his contract ends? Have we any idea who will succeed him?
Does anyone remember that there is a promised enquiry into the last Administration’s affairs, or that a constitutional review is underway? What is happening with RISE?
There is really far from sufficient space in this forum to continue to list everything that we blow up in our headlines and devote all our waking hours talking (but unfortunately, just talking) about on the spur of the moment, to then put on the back burner indefinitely – or forget about altogether.
But suffice it to say, that that is what we do … proficiently and regularly. And were we to adjust our characters, even just a little, to apply ourselves to finishing what we start, life in this country would become just so much more disciplined – reflecting even more positively on the strength of character that would be displayed by the young ones who follow in our footsteps and take example from our actions.