By:Curtis Morton
The way I see it, everyone on the island of Nevis, should be taught and made aware of how things used to operate in the ‘good old days.’
For instance, there was a power outage in Charlestown on Thursday and you don’t want to see how work was affected!
When I passed SPORTS ZONE, the popular shoe store, it was in total darkness. I asked someone if they were not afraid that people would tief their shoes. The person responded that it would not make any sense because SPORTS ZONE only puts out one shoe for each pair. When you go to buy, they will bring the other shoe from the back.
Well I newa!
Evelyn’s Drug store was well lit and business there seemed normal, because they had a generator going. Kudos to Mr. Evelyn and his staff.
City Drugstore was in total darkness but there were quite a number of shoppers at the cashier’s line. I guess Manager Herbert and his upper management team would now consider getting a generator there as well.
At one government office, I met a few of the staff members huddled in quiet conversation, in the dark. ‘No electricity; no internet; no phone- no work,’ was the summarized comment.
When I was asked when they say they bringing back current, I said that I was told in two hours. One of the individuals casually stated: ‘Tell them they could bring it back in three!’
Obviously she had already shut up shop for the day.
So current goes and work grinds to a virtual halt.
What did we do when there was no electricity?
Oh those times were most productive:
We used oil lamps and later flash lights. There was a time that people used the flambeau (piece of paper soaked in oil and placed in the top of a bottle and lit).
I remember studying with the use of a lamp. There was a time when refrigerators were not yet invented and people used to ‘corn’ their meat kind. There was a time also when electrical heaters were not yet invented and people used to have their clothes ironed in style, with the use of the well tried GOOSE or the old iron, heated on a coal pot…and don’t talk bout seam!
Well I newa!
Sadly, now that we are so used to electricity, we have gotten into the habit of ‘not being able to do without it.’
No electricity, should not equate to no productivity. At an office setting, when the power goes, there must be some things that can be done in the interim that does not require the use of electricity.
How about going back to the good old pen and notebook to make certain key notations, if we cannot use the computer at the time?
Here is where you can show your boss how innovative and creative you are, when you can still produce under such circumstances.
It also reminds me that when rain falls a little hard, folks would be calling into the local radio stations to find out whether or not there was an announcement of ‘no work today’ made.
I think it all comes down to a willingness or lack thereof, to go the extra mile in order to get the work done.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?