“IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times…” So Charles Dickens begins his immortal tale of A Tale of Two Cities. It is well over a century ago (1859) that Dickens summed up, with such poignancy, the state of the times in which he lived. Since then, we still celebrate in bad times and good times.

The turmoil in the US financial sector could easily drown out the sounds of Christmas, but somehow, Christmas survives. While it does, the pleas to spend, spend and more spend, fill the air. It seems to have escaped the attention of the pro-spenders that many people do not have the income, disposable or otherwise, to satisfy the insatiable appetite of the more-money monster, which couldn’t care less how many go to bed hungry.

Our own national economic challenges are well known, not just today but seemingly forever. We are continually urged to tighten our belts, batten down and prepare to ride out the storm, motivated by the promise of better days ahead. There are times when obeying the call can get complicated. One of our long-established seasonal customs has been for government workers in ministries, statutory organisations, etc, to be facilitated with a bit of end-of-year cheer via the annual Christmas staff party. According to a veteran of the system, this has been so “from when the first Santa landed”.

In some offices, I’m told, the festivities are organised as a joint effort between employers and employees who do so through donations of cash and kind. Some say it is not appropriate for public sector workers to solicit donations for whatever purpose. This only makes it easier for corruption to take root. In any case, office parties are not necessary. Others see no harm in it, regarding it as no more than a social interchange, typifying the spirit of the season. In any case, some believe it builds positive workplace attitudes which hopefully will last after the holidays are over.

The present administration has come to the conclusion, however, that, in a tight economy, the budget cannot afford to foot the bill for Christmas cheer for its employees., no matter how long-established the practice or how well-meaning the intentions. As a result, somewhere around October 3, it is said, directives were sent out (from somewhere) that henceforth, there will be no more office parties paid for out of the public purse. All well and good, but some departments did not get the message early enough and so proceeded to make contractual arrangements for the festivities.

Caterers were booked and other arrangements made, only for it to be revealed at the very last minute that there was a stop-order from all such activities. Disappointment, anger and embarrassment have followed. In at least one office, the caterers were actually on spot ready to serve the guests already assembled. It was then that they learned that the party was off. So far, there has been no word as to why the cancellation occurred so late and what was done with the refreshments etc.

To date, there has been no public reaction from government workers to this phenomenon of abrupt endings to parties before they even started. Officially, the Christmas lights have been turned off. Perhaps the disappointed party-goers are aware that in all probability the public is not likely to be on their side. In the present culture of economic “tight-squeeze”, no taxpayer wants to hear that others are feasting on their earnings while they will never see turkey and ham – or whatever is the menu. The government knows this, which must have made it easy to play Scrooge.

The argument that Christmas hospitality is known in the private sector will not help government workers. Hard time brings bad mind. Ask some people and they will tell you — if we can’t have it, than you can’t have it either. The Jamaica Civil Service Association, the government workers’ union, has been very silent, likewise about a new directive which will have government staffers working until 4 pm on Christmas Eve instead of quitting at mid-day. This is another long-held convention which has its roots in the fact that little or no business takes place in workplaces – government and private sector on Christmas Eve, when the minds of the public are certainly not focused on business, except in the retail trade. Well – it is a different day now. Government workers, I’m told, will be required to stay in the office until 4 pm like any other working day, while out in the streets, Christmas shopping rages. Can you imagine the smug satisfaction of the technocrat who worked out that one… or the resentment of those who will have to behave like school pickney in detention?

In time, it may be noticed that the income of providers of goods and services – liquor, food, wait staff, etc, will be reduced – which means revenue lost for the tax man. In the absence of any official information to date, we can only assume that fiscal costs have already been computed and the Treasury is prepared to pay the cost. So, welcome to the new reality. No pay, no play. Pragmatism or Scroogisim.

IT IS PAINFUL to have to write yet another obituary, extolling the life and times of a friend, one who made significant contributions to the development of Jamaica. John Maxwell is rightly being hailed for his forthright and trenchant contribution to journalism in this country. He feared nothing. He was never afraid to go after a story and to hell with who didn’t like it, especially politicians.

His passion was legendary. If he decided to support an idea, he went at it, full one hundred. Confronted by injustice and humbug, he tackled it with the ferocity of a bulldozer. That is why today, fellow journalists can hardly find enough words to memorialise him. Another good one gone… Whatta year!

gloudonb@yahoo.com