Dear Source:
Life is funny one day you are on top of the world and the next day the world is on top of you. On the way up it is often hard to conceive that the fall can often be quicker than the rise. This unpredictable flip in who is leading and who is following is the way of the world and each of us needs to be a lot more thoughtful about the path we choose to follow; and why we decide follow it. Over the recent months we have seen these facts of life play out again, and again. Locally, almost everyone has heard about the coup which occurred on Thursday, April 16th at the Senate session with the ouster of Senator Donastorg.
Let me begin by stating that I have never been a big fan of Senator Donastorg; however, I am a fan of right over wrong, and leadership over politics. What occurred on Thursday April 16th, in my opinion, was totally wrong and as a citizen of the territory very unsettling. I believe we should question what the ouster of Senator Donastorg really means. From where I sit, it says more about the poor decision-making ability of the Senators (Majority) than it does about Senator Donastorg's alleged lack leadership ability. It is true that we outside the Senate may never truly know if it was a leadership style issue or a leadership deficiency problem; however, given the short period of time that Senator Donastorg was in that position it appears Senator Donastorg was never given an opportunity to lead, and thus, makes me uneasy. What his ouster implies to me is that the Senators are lacking in the ability to make good decisions that they trust.
The lack of our Senators being able to make a decision and stick with it is more than just their trusting in the Senator's leadership abilities; it indicates that they have no trust in their own decision-making abilities. We should all be concerned as citizens for whom the senators have had and are making long and short-decisions that the decisions they make are the right ones. If they are unsure, how would can we sure that decisions they make today; will not be found to be wrong tomorrow? It is worrisome to think that we have a body of leaders that are indecisive; backward-looking; and inconsistent.
Decisions at this level do not lean themselves to buyer's remorse. Would it not be nice if we all could get a "do-over" when we feel we may have made a wrong decision? A do-over, while nice, if you can get one; but when you are making decisions at the level of impact that our Senators make; indecisiveness can present chaos and disaster. What the territory needs are leaders that are just the opposite of what we are seeing now. We need leaders in our Legislature that are decisive, forward-looking, and consistent. If our Legislative body is not taking the time to look at all angles and outcome of the decisions they are making internally; what comfort does that give us for decisions that they are making for the territory?
Lawrence Boschulte
St. Thomas
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