Let me begin by thanking the bloggers, readers, friends, family and others who support me by reading and commenting upon this column. Your feedback and support are greatly appreciated and desired.This week I aim to get people to focus on the real issues, without getting caught up in the extraneous clutter of nonsense. Let’s start with the issue of the pay cut for Government Cabinet Ministers. On the surface this sounds like a great, symbolic gesture, but when one delves deeper and seriously considers what the outcome will be a logical human being will conclude that it is not worth the $200,000 cost saving that will be generated. What is the point here? What is it that we plan to do with the $200,000? I submit that we should be focusing on other things than a pay cut for Ministers and I will give you a list of these after the Top 20.Jumping to #1 is Memories by David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi, a popular dance/club anthem that just makes the people dance and sing along. Up to #2 is Who’s that Chick? by David Guetta featuring Rihanna. This track features the hottest producer/remixer collaborating with the current Queen of Pop. The only thing that could come from such a partnership is the type of hit that is this track. Tumbling to #3 is Hold It Against Me by Britney Spears. Britney is making a case to be comeback artist of the year.Improving to #4 is Higher, by Taio Cruz featuring Kylie Minogue and Travie McCoy. This is a very cool, catchy and infectious dance track that everyone likes. Up to #5 is Moment For Life by Nicki Minaj. Advancing to #6 is Rihanna’s current hit, S&M, which is getting huge amounts of air time on radio and in clubs. Slipping to #7 is Aston Martin Music by Rick Ross featuring Drake and Chrisette Michelle. Falling to #8 is Grenade by Bruno Mars.Slipping to #9 is Firework by Katy Perry. Improving to #10 is Better Than Today by Kylie Minogue. Climbing to #11 is a former essential new tune, Born This Way by Lady Gaga. Tumbling to #12 this week is What’s My Name? by Rihanna featuring Drake.Improving to #13 is Look At Me Now by Chris Brown featuring L’il Wayne and Busta Rhymes. Climbing to #14 is ET by Katy Perry featuring Kanye West, a former essential selection. Walking by Mary Mary, still DJLT’s favourite track, advances to #15. Climbing to #16 is 6 Foot 7 Foot by L’il Wayne featuring Cory Gunz; a monster rap hit with a big beat. Advancing to #17 is On The Floor by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull. This is a solid track; not outstanding but ok. Tumbling to #18 is F**k You (Forget You) by Cee Lo Green, a former essential new hit.New at #19 is this week’s essential new dance hit, Judas, by Lady Gaga. Rumour has it that she, along with other pop stars, has sold her soul to the devil! I didn’t want to put her in because of it but until more definitive information is available, I will reserve judgment. Entering at # 20 is Just Can’t Get Enough by the Black Eyed Peas. This group is sensational and always put on a good show. Did you see them at the Superbowl? I’m dying to see them in concert.Now back to this week’s topic: what should we be focusing on as a society. There is a lot and I’ve taken to submitting lists, such is the number of the issues we face, not necessarily in the order of importance:1. The most pressing issue right now has to be crime, violence and gang activity. A fee of $200,000 might buy us a consultant to help us but I have learned that the answers are right here in Bermuda. So instead of asking our Ministers for a pay cut let’s just simply demand more from them. Let’s also instil a culture of lawful behaviour in our citizens and a willingness to report the unlawful activities of others, even if they are family, friends or neighbours especially if they are friends, family and neighbours. We need more community policing.2. We must cut Government spending by cutting nonessential expenses such as travel. We should cease attending conferences and overseas training for at least one fiscal year and review the situation in 2012. For instance, where we normally attend annual conventions and conferences, where it is difficult to quantify the benefit I submit that for 2011 we should give them all a miss, simply because we are mired in a recession with over $1 billion in debt, which is increasing.3. We must re-engineer a love and appreciation for the tourism Industry in all Bermuda residents and especially Bermudians. We lost it during the international business boom and must get it back FAST. We barely have a tourism industry and although it is showing signs of recovery, we must make sure that Bermudians and Bermuda residents all ‘feel the love’ otherwise it will be an empty slogan, the promise of which we will not fulfill.4. The Bermuda Government must stop borrowing money and should instead only spend what we take in as revenue. Capital development should be put on hold wherever possible and we should not begin any new capital programmes until the recession is over and we have gotten a handle on the Country’s finances.5. The Government should exercise prudence and sensitivity in reducing its staffing levels. We should look to retire people early and simply not hire replacements. Persons whose behaviour warrants dismissal should be dismissed and vacant posts should not be filled for the current financial year, but the duties of the departed employee simply spread around/shared among the remaining staff.6. Government and the private sector should work together to generate new sources of revenue for the Country and opportunities for new venture creation and entrepreneurship. Any economist worth their salt will tell you that most new jobs are created by new businesses and small businesses and the Government is leading the way with its new Ministries of Economy, Trade and Industry and Business Development and Tourism. Credit Premier Paula Cox for understanding that we must develop business, industry, entrepreneurship, thus creating the conditions for new jobs/more jobs. We must now deliver and not just have meetings.7. A most concerning issue is the rising cost of health care and Government’s nationalising of health insurance. Most citizens are not paying attention to this or just don’t care anymore. The Government is essentially assuming responsibility for the health care of all persons in Bermuda. The idea and intent are phenomenal but Government’s track record of fiscal responsibility is to be questioned just look at the mess that is the Superannuation Fund, our national debt and the financial mistakes we’ve made over the past ten years! I’m told that the Superannuation Fund is underfunded and civil servants are wondering whether the fund will be able to pay them their pension, upon retirement. The Bermuda Sun ran a full page FAQ on this earlier this week on the National Health Plan but people need to come out to these forums and meetings with Ministers and ask questions. It sounds like a form of income tax by another name. There are many unanswered questions with this.8. Bermudians need to become less passive-aggressive and bolder in their opposition to the politics, policies and practices of leaders. We are often too refined, too classy, too proud, too proper, too ‘we don’t do things like that’, to make a fuss or really object to anything which we feel is wrong or unjust. Part of that reason used to be because there was affluence all over; people at all levels were enjoying affluence. Bus drivers in Bermuda wear Rolexes. I have nothing against that but where else in the world do bus drivers wear Rolexes? We’ve all been making too much money to rock the boat. But things are changing now; there is less affluence so maybe people will start rocking the boat more. But do it with respect.9. We must instill in our people a thirst for knowledge, a desire of a good education, as well as a desire to read and learn. This is missing in too many Bermudians and must be reversed. It is related to getting people trained for jobs. When we have a better trained workforce we can get more people employed thereby reducing unemployment.10. Finally, we have to re-instil Christian, or at the very least, religious values and principles. Religious knowledge was taught in schools back in the day. It should return as part of the school curriculum because if a kid didn’t get any religion at home, they got it for at least two hours a week at school. It does make a difference.I submit that these are ten things we can focus on, which will make Bermuda a better place and put us on the path to recovery from all our ills. Peace..…. DJLT