Saturday, November 08, 2008
Why I am running for the Island Trust -Sounder
Why I am running for the Island Trust
By Ian Lowden
250 words are just not enough to explain why I would be good for the trust and why that would be good for the community. I have long been a supporter of the trust even though I often disagree with them on decision-making, long term effects and process. My background experience in teaching, counseling and diving has developed within me certain skills that would be useful to the Trust.
‘Active listening’ is the ability to put aside your own view point long enough to really listen and understand the other person’s concerns.
Realizing that what we do today will still be affecting people long into the future. This skill helps me in not taking the easy fix but looking at many ways of doing things and choosing the one that I believe will best meet the needs of today and still be valid 30 years from now.
I developed an instinctive distrust of bureaucracies because they very quickly forget that they were invented to serve all the people, not just those who agree with us or share our cause.
I have learned that progress is inevitable and it leads to change and development.
It is the Trusts job to try and encourage development that will be good for the islands future and discourage that which will have negative long-term effects.
I am against the bridge but realize that to continue with ferries we really need two, not just one and we have to find ways to lower the fares.
By Ian Lowden
250 words are just not enough to explain why I would be good for the trust and why that would be good for the community. I have long been a supporter of the trust even though I often disagree with them on decision-making, long term effects and process. My background experience in teaching, counseling and diving has developed within me certain skills that would be useful to the Trust.
‘Active listening’ is the ability to put aside your own view point long enough to really listen and understand the other person’s concerns.
Realizing that what we do today will still be affecting people long into the future. This skill helps me in not taking the easy fix but looking at many ways of doing things and choosing the one that I believe will best meet the needs of today and still be valid 30 years from now.
I developed an instinctive distrust of bureaucracies because they very quickly forget that they were invented to serve all the people, not just those who agree with us or share our cause.
I have learned that progress is inevitable and it leads to change and development.
It is the Trusts job to try and encourage development that will be good for the islands future and discourage that which will have negative long-term effects.
I am against the bridge but realize that to continue with ferries we really need two, not just one and we have to find ways to lower the fares.
