PERHAPS if and when the government receives additional income when some of the new investments in oil or from mining start to produce income, three areas need to be given priority. First, we need to spend as much as needed to ensure that we are getting our full share of these investments, and we are not cheated by fraud or corruption.

If necessary, professional and ‘outside’ help must be recruited. Secondly, we need to raise the salaries of the lowest paid public servants, and provide whatever critical training or equipment that is needed. In return, higher standards should be demanded and enforced.

Security, Education and Social Services should already be getting this attention with whatever limited resources we have, and should benefit from higher salaries.
Pensioners should also get an increase.

Thirdly, systems must be put in place to ensure transparency and accountability exists in all levels of government with aggressive efforts to prevent incompetency and corruption. Hopefully, the tax system could be reduced next, as resources increase.