Don't be harsh

Letter to the editor -

Dear Editor,

I think many people are overlooking the real concerns that we have for MHA Paul Oram, and many other politicians. They enter into politics because they had this vision when they were attending elementary school, "I want to be a politician or doctor when I graduate from high school." They leave school and go on their own discovery trail, seeking as to what is better for themselves. They either follow through with their dream goals or enter into something else. They are what we call people who want to help people and they become community leaders. When they present themselves as a political hopeful, their credentials are based on what they have done for their community and expertise. They have a clean slate of respect and admired and appreciated by most everyone. The community folks even hate to see them move away from their roots to challenge a new adventure.

I have seen many well-respected community leaders' names become mud once they enter into politics. All of a sudden they are no longer the pride and joy of the community.

Well, I do feel sorry for Paul Oram, as he took on a role that was a real mess and the talk of worldwide media because of the boggled cancer testing. Mr. Oram was perhaps expecting to have better leadership and support from his boss, in permitting him to use his own insight and common sense into doing something about the escalating health care problems around the province. However, this was not the case, and Mr. Oram got blamed for everything, despite saying Premier Williams was once a good mentor.

Premier Danny Williams has been standing on thin ice for a long time, and Minister Paul Oram is the scapegoat of the premier's very poor, arrogant, iron-fisted leadership. The premier is sinking slowly as more cracks develop in the thin ice beneath him, and he will still make the life of many more politicians very stressful as he continues to take away from the people what they have enjoyed for many years. For example, good health care services with the professional people to see that it is well implemented well to get back the trust and care the people deserve.

The premier is scaring everyone away from Newfoundland and Labrador with his dream that oil will be the magical cure of all our financial problems, even though the oil is still bubbling beneath the surface. Maybe someday, but it's today, not the future that we are so concerned about when we have such a mess challenging us now.

Let's not be so harsh on our well-respected community leaders who walk away from the present day horrors of politics and poor leadership within government, to protect their own health and peace of mind. We would all do the same as Mr. Oram when "the rapid pulse beats and high blood pressure signals that the stressful, risky, road ahead will decide between life and death."

Frank Blackwood

Richmond Hill, Ont.