Better to try than to criticise (From Halesowen News)

Better to try than to criticise

4:19pm Thursday 21st January 2010

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Having found time to read the Halesowen News recently I’ve often found myself drawn to this section of the paper.

At present I’m a floating voter, but of particular interest has been the barrage of letters challenging James Morris.

One particularly fascinating piece was that someone (Mr Roberts) actually took the time to sit with a measuring rule and calculator and work out how much paper was being used by the James Morris campaign! I thought at first Mr Roberts is a member of the Green Party. They at least have more robust views and can talk with some authority on environmental issues.

Then I thought that perhaps it was a very Labour-ish thing to do; sit behind a desk, work out statistics and targets and then not make any useful statement whilst forgetting that there are people at grass roots trying to put their hand to the plough and make a difference in the real world to real people’s needs.

It’s very easy to be critical of someone who you disagree with, but perhaps there are people out there that can see that whatever political persuasion you might be, the concept of doing something to help the jobless and jobseeker get back into work is a worthwhile pursuit.

As a new local businessman I approached James last September (some 4 months after the Job Club had been set up) to see how I could help.

The Halesowen Job Club is now run by myself and James with the hope that it will grow and offer support to more people in the region.

In addition, I’m sure that nobody is seriously suggesting Mr Morris’s statements about fiscal prudence and honesty are tantamount to a contract. But, I’m equally sure that should Mr Morris be guilty of any misdemeanours in this area Halesowen readers will be very quick to pull out his article and burn it in effigy!

We have serious issues to solve in this country and at all levels in society we need serious people to solve them.

We may not have all the answers, we may not even be sure that what we try works, but, whatever happens it’s better to put your hand to the plough whenever and wherever you can rather than sit behind closed doors criticising.

So perhaps Mr Roberts too can be accused of “talking aloud and saying nothing”.

Mr S Prescott, Via email

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