| Open letter to Ward-2 residents: Dear neighbours (Ward 2 West-Whitby), My name is Chudi Asidianya; known simply as Chudi over the years. Sometimes, Mr. Chudi by those who could not be bothered with saying my long last name. I have lived in Whitby for approximately 17 years. My wife, Oby and I have raised our children in Whitby from their elementary, secondary and now university years. I know the issues, I know the concerns, problems and the potentials of our town. We have been tenant, homeowner and landlord in Whitby; through these experiences, I developed valuable perspectives and insights into the needs expectations of residents like me. I believe that local representatives must be accessible to their constituents. I recognize the need to be morally and fiscally responsible to the municipality. I am socially progressive and fiscally responsible. Since the decisions made by Council affect the community at its core, I like to see the council with a balanced and city-wide interests. I like to see an inclusive municipality that reduces barriers to access and equity, that creates a healthy, safe and an investment-friendly economy. Back in 1989, when my family and I relocated to Whitby, the population was barely 70,000. Today we are closing in on 140, 000 people. While everyone applauds growth, it is also imperative that the population growth correlates with the growth of our local infrastructure. Sadly this has not been the case. I like to see more guarded review of current and future municipal planning. Whitby is growing and continues to grow, as such; I like to see full fledged hospital and needed hospital personnel lobbied into the community. Also, to ensure accountability and continued faith in your representative(s), I am proposing public consultations which seek to bring all stakeholders to the table. In particular, when major public policy initiatives are proposed I feel it is important for citizens to be both informed and engaged in the process. Greater inclusion will lend legitimacy to the institutions and the policies that are rolled out. I would bet that if I were to take a poll of the residents of Whitby today the majority of them were not aware of their new responsibilities to clear their sidewalks of fallen snow. I predict that a similar finding would have been the case if I were to ask how many people are aware of the new biweekly garbage pick-up policy that will take effect July 1st, 2006. This is neither acceptable nor desirable. The link between citizens and government must be real and tangible.On crime prevention, I hold a view quite different from the conventional position; I believe in social investment. I talk about community and resource development as a fundamental form of crime prevention. I talk about an inclusive, adaptive labour force as crime prevention. I see hopelessness as one of the root causes of crime in youth (and adults as well). I see "An Idle mind as the devil's workshop." The thought process that nobody is born a criminal underscores the need for social investment as a crime prevention tool. I am also from the school of thought that believes that our ability to prevent crime depends on our ability to reshape community life. The central tenet of our community crime prevention program is the empowerment of the community itself to actively participate in the design and implementation of crime prevention strategies. Communities must be seen as the central institution for crime prevention. Yours truly, Chudi Asidianya Candidate, Ward-2 West |
 |