By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
The lockdown disruptions the COVID pandemic viruses have brought these past few days into our normal everyday living in Samoa is getting more unnerving with every extension or detention so it seems.
The idle mind is left to wander and wonder at ‘the what and the why’ behind these life threatening viruses.
These feared health assassins that have forced us to become prisoners in our own homes were brought in by the traveling Samoan diaspora in Australia.
With time aplenty to wonder and ponder it is easier for the mind to become overly curious at the possibilities of possible hidden reasons to be interpreted.
Could this be a warning sign of what the future holds for Samoa if we allow the diaspora population to dictate how we react at home as they did in our general elections vote?
We have already had a taste of how it turned our political decision making process upside down with the uproar of instability that lasted for more than half of 2021.
Our sweet talking politicians cleverly manipulated them into not only blindly parting with their money to fund their election campaigns but to put the remittance fear into their families at home in Samoa to vote for their choice of Government.
The diaspora influence has since then left the country deeply divided like never before and still is.
The virus infested flight from Brisbane flew in the diaspora from Australia and chances are it could turn into a nauseating stink, if it’s true they should not have been allowed passage.
There is a strong run of angry allegations by tired, frustrated lockdown victims, at some very highly placed people who may have made it possible for the virus carriers to land the new variants in Samoa.
For now it remains a wait and see issue simmering in the background patiently waiting its turn in the full limelight of controversy.
The country has been in a standstill for about a week now and it could be more.
An official Government ministry notice that the lockdown days are not to be treated as working holidays carries a weighted suggestion to the business community of ‘no work no pay.’
Wonder if the same could be suggested in the public service? Would the Government dare?
The gambling community would love to challenge the winning odds of the public servants not getting paid for not working during the lockdown period.
On a more serious note, is it fair for Government through one of its Ministries to suggest a ‘no work no pay’ option to the private sector and not the public sector?
A bit hypocritical!
Based on the same public notice, is it also fair for the police not to be paid allowance/overtime for working at night in the cold, gusting torrential rainfall to keep watch on the roads as part of the lockdown while everyone slept peacefully at home?
What about the essential or emergency workers – the frontline workers in particular?
Hopefully they are getting their deserved rewards for standing watch over our safety.
Much to ponder!
Whatever and wherever the answer lies for the curious wanderings of a wild, rambling mind it does leave a conflicting thought.
How does this wondrous body organ truly works?
Does it work better in an active or inactive body? Is it possible it is more active in a lockdown situation?
Yes it is a mystery. But believe it or not the mind also has all the answers…..and more questions for that matter.