“We gotta make a change

It’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes

Let’s change the way we eat

Let’s change the way we live

And let’s change the way we treat each other

You see the old way wasn’t workin’

So, it’s on us to do what we gotta do to survive”

— Tupac Shakur

Change: a word commonly bandied about as we get close to the change from one year to another.

Each year we sit down and make plans as to what changes we would like to see as a country and as individuals.

One of the most common resolutions among many of us over the age of 30 is the hope and promise to lose weight. Indeed, as a country we are in the middle of a national crisis when it comes to the dual diseases of obesity and diabetes.

As a people, we need to look at ways to cut down on our intake of fatty foods, fried foods and the ultimate drug called sugar. Let us begin to minimalise the red meats, processed foods and anything with excess starch, such as macaroni and cheese. Instead, place more emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables on our plates.

Consume less soda, energy drinks and alcohol, replacing them with more cups of water each day. Both your body and your doctor will thank you in the long run.

Another needed change is in our spending and saving habits.

Think of it this way: the average person may spend roughly $20 per day on buying breakfast and/or lunch. Doing the maths, we are looking at a range of $6,000 per year or $60,000 per decade being spent. I am quite sure that many of us wish that we had an extra $6,000 in the bank each year.

Make that lunch at home or carry leftovers to work with you. Each day that you do so equates to a saving.

For those of us who are follicularly challenged, yet still go to the barber weekly for a $20 trim, one strong suggestion would be to invest in your own trimmer, which costs about $50. Within the first three weeks, it will have paid for itself. You will save at least $100 per month.

Other costs such as mobile phone service and/or cable television can be minimalised or eliminated by picking better data plans and/or purchasing devices such as an Amazon Fire Stick.

Over the past six months of cutting cane grass around the island, we have found that the level of littering is far too high.

Whether it be beer bottles, juice bottles or water bottles, our island home is being treated as one big dumping ground by persons driving by grassy areas.

As Bermudians, we surely have enough pride in our country to hold those bottles in our vehicles until we reach home.

Without a doubt, there are many other fundamental changes that we need to address as individuals and as a country.

What are some of the things that you think we need to change?

Happy new year, when it comes.

Love you all.

•Christopher Famous is the government MP for Devonshire East (Constituency 11). You can reach him at WhatsApp on 599-0901 or e-mail at cfamous@plp.bm