Budget Day

So far I have not been posting to my blog everyday. I have gotten bogged down by the “not enough hours in every day”, work frustrations, illness, water restrictions and just not being committed. I need a timetable or a routine or something that becomes innate so I can do everything I need to do without thinking about it.

Today is budget day in Jamaica. Today the Minister of Finance is going to tell the country how we are going to finance the budget for the financial year 2010/2011. I personally am filled with foreboding. There has been talk of financing the budget from traffic fines. The projected amount is more than what was collected up to a few weeks ago. Does the Finance Minister have a crystal ball that foretold that persons are just going to start disobeying the law just so they can spend the money that is so hard to come by these days just so they can help finance the budget? Or will the fines be increased? And even so what if by some miracle, us Jamaicans all became extreme law abiding citizens and did not commit any infractions, what then?

I am sure our forefathers are most displeased with me because so far I have taken for granted the right to exercise my franchise but I see no reason to do so. The options on the ballot sheet appear to be “Dumb” and “Dumber”. If there was a third option, “Change”, then I would be running to get enumerated so I can put my check mark beside this. On the other hand it could be argued that we the people are the ones who put the government in place and so they are accountable to us, we are their bosses and we should force our employees to do what is best for the country. So that is something for me to think about as my “no confidence, no vote” stance apparently has had no effect at all.

Everyday is another battle but right now I am just trying to win the war.