Colin Bower

Visionaries and stuff

(Please scroll down for the English version and leave a comment if you like)

Geagte Mede-Prince Alberter

Spesiale Stemme

As dit vir jou onmoontlik is om op 18 Mei te gaan stem, kan jy ‘n spesiale stem uitbring deur by die kantoor van die Onafhanklike Verkiesingskommissie daarom aansoek te doen tussen 15 April en 3 Mei. As jy huisgebonde is, sal die OVK jou by jou huis kom besoek gedurende die loop van die dag van 16 Mei sodat jy jou stem kan uit bring. As jy nie huisgebonde is nie, kan jy gaan stem by die Sydwell Williams Sentrum op òf 16 òf 17 Mei. Jy hoef geen rede aan te voer hoekom jy nie op 18 Mei kan gaan stem nie.

Interessantheidshalwe: Daar is 1 542 geregistreerde kiesers in Wyk 2.

Visie

Ek is gevra wat my visie vir Prince Albert is. My reaksie is dalk half aweregs: Visionarisse maak my ‘n bietie bang. Wil inwoners regtig raadslede hê wat met hul visies te koop loop? Of wil hulle bloot raadslede hê wat eerlik, deeglik en hardwerkend is? Ek is nie seker nie – miskien kan jy my sê hoe jy voel via hierdie blog. Nietemin, ek het wel ‘n visie vir Prince Albert. Ek verwoord dit egter amper met ‘n gevoel van verleentheid, want dit is altemaklikom ‘n visietehê – hoe om dit in dade om te sit, is egter wat saak maak. Hier is my visie:

In my geestesoog sien ek ‘n geïntegreerde, voorspoedige en gelukkige Karoodorp, wat ware geleenthede bied aan almal wat wil deel in sy ekonomiese, kulturele en sportlewe. Ek sien ‘n dorp gedrewe deur twee hoofmotiewe: landbou en toerisme, met ‘n gesonde sekondêre ekonomie wat dienste en ondersteuning bied aan hierdie sektore. Ek sien ‘n dorp wat sy mees kosbare skat, water, effektief bestuur deur dit korrek te berg en te verdeel; ek sien ‘n dorp wat oor sy unieke kultuurerfenis waak sonder om vooruitgang te strem. Ek sien ‘n dorpsmunisipaliteit wat onvermoeid daarop ingestel bly om diens te lewer aan al sy belastingbetalers en inwoners.

Finansiële Verslag

Soos die meeste ander belasting betalers, wag ek met groot belangstelling op die opsommende verslag van ons dorp se finansies.

Verkiesingsgroete

Colin Bower

Dear Prince Albertian

Special Voting

If you are unable to vote on the 18^th May for any reason whatsoever, you can apply for a Special Vote. You can apply for a Special Vote at the offices of the IEC between 15 April and 3 May. If you are house-bound, the IEC will visit you at your house some time during the day of 16 May to collect your vote. If you are not house-bound, you may vote at the Sydwell Williams Centre on either 16 or 17 May. You do not need to provide any reason for being unable to cast your vote on 18 May.

For your possible interest: there are 1 542 people registered to vote in Ward Two.

Vision

I have been asked what my vision is for Prince Albert. I respond with a caveat:  visionaries frighten me a little. Do residents want councilors with vision? Or do they simply want councillors who are diligent, honest and competent? I am not sure – maybe you can tell me via the Comment facility of this blog. Nevertheless, yes, I do have a vision for Prince Albert. But I offer it with a sense of mild embarrassment, because it is really very easy to have visions, it’s making them into a reality that matters. Accordingly, my vision:

I envision an integrated, prosperous and happy Karoo town, with real opportunities for all to participate in the economic, the cultural and the sporting life of the town and its environs.  I envision a town driven by its two prime movers, agriculture and tourism, and having a healthy secondary economy of service and support for these two sectors. I envisage a town that effectively manages the storage and distribution of its most precious asset: water, and a town that retains and preserves its cultural heritage. I envision a town municipality which drives itself unremittingly in the service of ratepayers and residents.

Financial Report

Along with most other ratepayers, I await the summary report on the state of our town’s finances with interest.

Yours in freedom

Colin Bower.