The press conference
On Tuesday of last week, a Beaconite attended the first coronavirus press conference in more than six weeks. Though he appreciated the government’s attempt to answer questions from media houses, he left the conference feeling rather dissatisfied. He felt that the premier and deputy premier were at times unnecessarily testy in how they responded to some questions, and wished that they had provided more substance or clearly declined to respond to certain questions rather than attack a reporter’s character or news-gathering methods. Yet, the Beaconite also wishes that some of the reporters in attendance were more conscientious of the limited time, and more concise in their questions so that their peers would have more opportunities to ask what they wanted to. The Beaconite was not the only one who was disheartened by the press conference. Afterwards, on Facebook, commentators disparaged both the government’s and media’s performance. Of course, this bothered the Beaconite, but only slightly. He was pleased with the questions he asked and how he framed them, and he, too, had left the conference feeling disheartened. If anything, the comments made him appreciate how much the public values a robust press. Press conferences are an invaluable tool to keep the public informed, and the Beaconite was glad that government called it and hopes officials keep their promise to continue hosting such sessions in the future. He just also hopes that they will be more productive going forward.
‘Reckless optimism’
A Beaconite has lost count of the variations of “times are tough” she’s recently read in the news. In fact, according to Google Trends data spanning five years, the phrase’s highest spike was in early April. But joking aside, times truly are tough. Several of the Beaconite’s friends are moving away from the territory within the next few months with just a hope that they’ll be able to return at the end of the year. The reporter worries she’ll find herself without a home as a particularly active hurricane season looms. The list goes on. So what can people do about it? The Beaconite is a proponent of practising “reckless optimism,” a term often used by YouTube personality Hannah Hart. Not to be confused with callowness or wilful ignorance, practising “reckless optimism” means recognising that some situations are extraordinarily difficult to handle — but after accepting the circumstances, a person can then actively work toward positive outcomes without hesitation. The Beaconite needed a fresh perspective, so she bought a snorkel mask, which she put to good use at Josiahs Bay over the weekend. She was also delighted to catch up with friends she sorely missed in recent weeks. It’s remarkable how a smile from a familiar face can lift one’s spirits. Give reckless optimism a try.
What’s next?
With the latest curfew order coming to an end on Sunday, a Beaconite is looking forward to what the next phase of internal re-opening will bring. The territory has not confirmed any new cases in a week, and although this is a victory, it doesn’t mean the threat of Covid-19 is gone. The reporter wonders if people are becoming complacent to the harsh reality of the virus. The spread has not stopped, and there continue to be thousands of cases and hundreds of fatalities throughout the world each day. So far, the VI has been protected better than many other places, in part because it is relatively easy to restrict movement on an island by closing the borders. But the territory does typically see a lot of movement locally and internationally. It is, in many ways, a hub. Those who rely on this movement of commerce and people, while being restricted and having their livelihoods impacted, could be shown some courtesy. While the reporter need not get into the gritty details of an economic stimulus, she will say that she feels badly for those severely impacted by the legal restrictions. They’ve helped keep the territory safe. Now, there must be new ways for people to generate income whilst remaining in one place. Construction projects are a great asset, for instance. The Beaconite hopes to see more movement of money within the territory, with residents supporting local businesses and spending disposable income here when possible.