DEAR EDITOR;
There are those that have already condemned the article by Linda McMillan and must I say, who not only represent different sectors of our society, but who have also been very insightful in response.
Others have taken liberty to express that McMillan’s letter is an expression of an infallible truth, which we Solomon Islanders must learn to accept.
I feel I must condemn, in unequivocal terms, the blatant disregard Linda McMillan has in labeling Solomon Islands as a “nation of thieves”.
I must also admit dismay at those who believe that our acceptance of the “truth” should constitute disregarding an irresponsible act that stems from a personal vendetta against a person or group of people who care less about what McMillan has written in the papers and the impact it has already made on many decent Solomon Islanders.
Here are my thoughts on “Linda McMillan and the 500,000 thieves”, a tale more recent than “Ali Baba and the forty thieves”.
ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY
The profound mistake of Linda McMillan’s article is that it purports a cleverly shrouded message of hopelessness, of a stagnant society, static and with no chance of change, no chance of progress.
For the article fails in every instance to provide hope for the future and fails miserably in providing a real solution for “a thieving nation” she has had to endure.
But there are those of us who work tirelessly every day for a meager salary and yet have a steadfast hope for the future; a vision of a better tomorrow and believe in change; in the constant evolution of humans to become decent and honest.
Therefore the article is not only insulting, it is irresponsible and lacking depth.
IN ”THIEVING” POVERTY
There are different measures of poverty and by all international counts; many Solomon Islanders live in dire poverty. By these measures many Solomon Islanders are “down here somewhere” and some others are “up there”.
May I suggest too that in recent times, there is a certain disparity that exists in our society today that makes that distinction even clearer.
There is Linda McMillan who lives in cozy comfort and there are those of us who share a single bedroom with 3 children to each family.
There is Linda McMillan who may elect to drive to work or come by taxi while there are those of us that ride in uncomfortable buses and argue with the bus conductor over a $3 fare.
There are those of us who spend every waking hour of the day trying to make ends meet while she can probably afford the luxury of a quiet afternoon at Mendana Hotel or the PYC; and even have the time for golf.
This is the demarcation between the “haves” and the “have-nots”.
The very fact that many hardworking Solomon Islanders “have-not” and cannot afford the kind of luxury McMillan takes for granted and are “thieves” nonetheless is what makes Linda McMillan’s article a bitter pill to swallow.
FREE TO SPEAK, SPEAK WITH DIGNITY
Our freedom of expression really only allows us to exercise it with such sensitivity that what we say and what we do does not impinge on the freedom of others.
Our freedom is to be proud Solomon Islanders and anyone who dares insinuate bigotry indiscriminately against that should be reprimanded, let alone have the nerve to call themselves a consultant.
If I should be convinced that such a poorly written piece of literary garbage should be acceptable then figuring out the consummate sum of $1 and another $1 makes me an economist.