What frustrates citizens is not only the rising cost of living, but the visible absence of urgency, maintenance, accountability, and respect from the State itself.
Governments of both political sides have become trapped in a culture of “same old, same old” announce projects, spend billions, create studies and committees, but fail to maintain basic infrastructure, modernize services, or improve the daily experience of citizens.
A simple task at a government office still consumes an entire day because systems are outdated, communication is poor, phones go unanswered, and citizens are only told what documents they need after fighting traffic and standing in long lines.
At the same time, unions too often defend inefficiency instead of demanding professionalism, punctuality, productivity, and courteous treatment of the public.
Meanwhile ordinary families are being squeezed silently by inflation, not dramatic overnight price jumps, but the slow deadly creep that people only truly feel when they push a trolley through stores like PriceSmart or elsewhere and realize how little money now buys.
That is where the “Rule of 72” becomes important: when inflation quietly doubles the cost of living over time, citizens become poorer without fully realizing it until the damage is already done.
Governments cannot continue speaking about grand new cities and mega projects while citizens are struggling to buy groceries, pay rent, travel to work, and survive.
Gordon Laughlin,
Westmoorings
