in American politics, there used to be the Know Nothings.
They were a group of native-born Americans who had a problem with immigrants yet whenever anyone asked a member of the group about it, he'd claim that he "knew nothing" at all.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, we should call the current administration a Do Nothing government.
You see, in 2004 a provincial government task force laid out a plan to deal with the problem of hospital-related infections. That's when you go to hospital and get sick from a bug you picked up in the place where you went to get better in the first place.
Anyway, it is now 2008.
Four, maybe five years later depending on how you count it.
The Auditor General released a report this week noting that not only does the province have no freakin' idea how many infections are caused by hospital infections or nor how many deaths come from those infections, but also that there are a raft of problems with hospital sterilization techniques and cleaning procedures.
That's pretty much what your grandmother taught you about disease prevention: wash your hands. Oh yeah, and boil things to make them sterile.
And the hospitals aren't quite getting it yet. But anyway, someone gave them a plan.
In 2004.
So, in response, health minister Ross Wiseman promises that by 2009 - that is 12 months from now and definitely five years AFTER the plan was laid out - there will be "significant progress" made on a "comprehensive, provincewide infection control program."
Uh huh.
And we are supposed to believe this from a guy whose department is embroiled in controversies of one form or another.
Like the breast cancer one.
Or the one also revealed this week where the health boards created in 2004 that were supposed to save money are actually costing more money.
And we are supposed to believe a guy who just by pure coincidence scheduled his media availability to coincide with one being held by his colleague minister talking about the InfoSec breach.
Flying wingman for a guy who is himself trying to obscure the facts of a very serious political and legal problem for government is not a way to enhance your credibility.
But then again, speaking of Jerome, this is a government where things explode, fail, fall-apart or collapse based on government inaction over a long period of time and the standard government response is that a "plan is in the works", that this is "a priority of government" and that "all is well."
These cabinet ministers seem to spend too much time torquing and talking to actually accomplish anything real.
Around these parts, they used to be the serial government: one thing after another.
But all this talking and lack of action is actually part of a bigger problem: this is a Do Nothing Administration.
-srbp-
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