To the editor,
As a retired media relations communicator with a 30-year background and extensive hands-on experience in crisis situations at local, national and international events, I offer the following commentary.
I give high ratings to the many people who are providing our information flow on a daily basis. The medical community and its relevant experts are giving sage advice and direction at all levels. Their messaging is consistent and as accurate as possible, especially given the rapidly changing information landscape – well done.
As we all go on our own individual, and collective, paths through this crisis, we have to realize that the medical experts and political leaders are not only taking care of us and our needs but are dealing with their own personal lives at the same time.
The end of this current issue will come, and a multitude of post-event analyses will take place. The military system I served in had a post-aircraft incident investigation and analysis process that sought to determine what and why something went wrong. It was designed to find out what happened, not to assign blame, and to make recommendations for changes to help ensure that the same thing would not repeat itself. The coming post-pandemic analyses have to take that direction too. They need to focus on how to do it better the next time, not to focus on assigning fault at the political or response levels. An old military adage says that no plan for battle survives first contact with the enemy. You have to be able to adapt rapidly as changing data dictate a different approach to the conflict.
I have begun to observe a growing tendency to try to find fault with the local, provincial and national COVID-19 responses. Stop doing that. It is a time for all of us to do our own best to cope and to safely get back to our daily lives. Those lives will have changed as they have in past crises – adapt and move on.
Maj. (Ret’d) Robin Alford, Nanaimo
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The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.