For a long, long while, Pa-trick has been bleating about Vision 2020. I often wonder what he means by it.
My friend from Trinidad who is visiting has often made innocent comments while we are out, based upon her observations of people and things here in England. Some observations have been made by friends and family; all of them are sometimes noted by me as a comparison to what I left behind in Trinidad over 5 years ago.
Here are a few observations compiled from their views, on what it means to be 2020 (in no particular order).
- When you turn on the taps, water comes out, any time of day or night.
- Electricity does not 'cut' unless advance notice is given for repair work.
- Telephones work, and are not 'down' for months at a time.
- Customer service is quick, prompt and helpful. Courteous too.
- Traffic is managed, road rules are obeyed and safety is paramount. Cameras pick up delinquent drivers where police are not present.
- Alcohol drinking is managed and monitored in public; no drink driving. Bad behaviour is nipped in the bud.
- Public transport is effective and an alternative to owning a car, not the other way around.
- No vagrants in public view, rooting in garbage bins for something to eat.
- Rapid response by police, respectful attitude when they address you. They are friendly and sociable to a greater extent that their Trini counterparts.
- Television stations are banned from showing ads that target junk food, cigarette and/or alcohol advertisements and even toys during peak children viewing times. (But I am rather annoyed at the amount of ads showing cross-dressing males).
- Roads are smooth. Not many potholes here, and even when one opens up, it is repaired within 24 hours (this is my observation too, though it may not be this efficient in other parts of the UK).
- Two weeks notice before utilities conduct repairs that can interrupt service. Such repairs are done at night. Rail repairs are done on Sundays unless it is an absolute necessity.
This list is by no means exhausted. It is just a few examples of what Vision 2020 can be; unfortunately our cocktail government knows not how to implement things without kickbacks, bribes, corruption, grafts, cronyism... I guess we get what we vote for, eh?
