How respect for time portraits the degree of development of a country

It is a fact that in developing countries, things move slower than in other developed nations where efficiency is given top priority. It is understood that efficient systems contribute to greater comfort and a hassle-free lifestyle, but it comes at a price where stress levels increase and modern sicknesses develop as increased efficiency is not only demanded from ‘machines and systems’, but also from humans. This could be in their jobs but also in their daily lives.

When technology increases efficiency, more time becomes available in the hands of people and then it depends as to what purpose this time is utilised for. In a society where social status ranks at the top of priorities, this ‘free time’ again is often used for various other activities as one does not want to ‘lose out’.

In many ways the more laid back atmosphere in countries (in the rural areas, not so much in the main cities), is often perceived as enjoyable and desirable for those who are exhausted by the fast modern lives. Where everything is fast and superficial, humans long for peace and slowing down. 

Fast and efficient lifestyles as practiced in most developed nations of the world seem to be an indicator for wealth and development. One could question as to what sort of development is really advancing humanity and what is merely an illusion which creates self-centred, over-competitive and empty societies.

In the above situation one could argue that the ‘perfect system’ would be somewhere in between, supporting efficient systems without developing into the famous ‘hamster in a wheel’ who actually despite the efficient systems, never has time for anything. 

There is another dimension which I would like to discuss. It refers to the ‘value of time’ and ‘respect for time’ depending on which role one takes on in a society. I want to highlight this within three examples: 1) the transport system, 2) events, and 3) the medical system of this country.

Transport system

It is logical for those living in urban areas to plan their travel around off-peak traffic hours of the day with the objective of avoiding traffic congestion on roads. This could vary from area to area and the travel time between destinations too could vary from point to point. So what is the difference? When we consider Colombo, most roads are congested right through the day and clear only in the night. Development of apartments and other constructions in these same areas could create further traffic congestion on these roads. 

Naturally the driving behaviour on the roads reflects the stress people feel of having to be stuck in traffic (may it be in a tuktuk, bus or their own vehicle) for hours each day. In such situations we have to not only consider traffic blocks, but also heavy pollution. It would be useful to assess the health situation of policemen who daily carry out their duty by standing in traffic for hours, inhaling toxic fumes. 

This situation however is faced only by the average citizens of this country whilst the VIP’s are exempt from this hazard. When they travel on our road, they do not face any form of traffic congestion as their route is cleared by halting other traffic and their journey goes uninterrupted. This perhaps is because they consider their time as more important than the average citizen who has to face all the traffic congestions. They do not understand that time is of essence to an ‘average’ person as well. 

Despite the sharp rise in vehicles and the resulting congestions in the city, there is no real solution in sight. Numerous discussions about having underground metros, trams, etc, are still illusions. Having an efficient bus system alone could bring relief to the current situations we face. An efficient transport system is very much a possibility given the priority of a country. If this could be achieved, productivity would naturally increase to greater heights and people could use their energy for more productivity in their jobs. 

It is correct to fine errant drivers, but shouldn’t we first create a situation which facilitates correct behaviour on roads. If one were to comply 100% with all traffic rules during or outside rush hours in the current road conditions, I dare to say that it would even take longer for everyone to reach their destinations.

So rather than continuing with the current system where a selected number of privileged persons enjoy efficient car rides, an improved (public) transport system should be introduced as soon as possible whereby the country as a whole will benefit immensely. 

Events

The next example which highlights the disrespect for time is events; which might be conferences or simply private parties. It is understood that if an event is announced to start at an appointed time, not even a third of attendees will be there on time. In rare cases the special guests or key speakers are there on time. Usually it is announced that the event will start late as one or the other key persons has not arrived yet.

Some time back when there was a high level political event during the election time in 2009, where the top business community was invited to attend a speech of one of the contestants, the key political representative was more than one hour late. A speaker of the party took the liberty to apologise and announce that the politician had to ‘follow a very important business’ and therefore he will arrive late. It actually depicted a hilarious situation, considering the room was full of Sri Lanka’s top business leaders. 

Here again, what is the lesson learnt? Those who are on time are penalised whilst late comers are excused. Certainly one could be excused for late arrival due to unforeseen circumstances; however it is very often found that it is due to their unconcern for other people’s time. It is a habit where the activities of a few are valued higher than those of the majority. 

Medical system

Finally, I would like to highlight the situation related to the medical system in this country, which again is another element requiring change. Patients visit doctors as they require medical attention for their respective sicknesses. Sick patients obviously need quick attention. 

Ever so often patients are confronted with situations where they have to sit and wait for hours at hospitals to consult the doctor of their choice. Majority of doctors walk in to their consultation rooms at least an hour later than their appointed time. The excuses given are either they are travelling from another hospital or in the case of surgeons that they are held up in the theatres. The latter is excusable; however this is not the case most often. It has become an accepted norm for patients to expect their doctors to arrive late for consultations. 

In some cases doctors see anything in excess of 50 patients at one sitting. Is this necessary and why do they do this? Is it greed for money or is there a shortage of doctors in that specialty? The latter is doubtful. The time allotted per patient is hardly adequate for them to carry out a proper diagnosis on the patient and so they rush through in order to get to their next patient. 

The attention for patients at government hospitals are considered to be better as they have experienced staff, except that all the comforts in a private hospital are not provided. Certainly in more developed countries only a small percentage of patients visit private hospitals, but in Sri Lanka it seems the reverse is happening despite the high costs involved. Finally many patients end up paying enormous sums of money to be treated in private hospitals. It has also been found that doctors who work in government hospitals see patients in private hospitals too and some direct their patients to private hospitals where they consult when they can be treated in the government hospital, obviously for monetary gains. They fail to neither understand difficulties of patients nor value their time. So the end result is that the patient is at the mercy of the doctor who chooses to decide when he will attend to the patient despite the fact that the patient is the one paying for his services. 

Why are the hospitals so full? Are all these people really sick or are they caught in a system of ‘welfare’ and medical tests dependent on a doctor’s opinion. It seems the more welfare offers we have, the more ‘sick’ people we have. To answer that question one would need to focus on creating a society which is strong and healthy and does not fall sick easily, rather than trying to cure people.

The above examples highlight the disparities within our society depending on the role one takes. It is just the consequence of an attitude which naturally divides two groups – those who are on top and those who are not. The lesson learned for those at the bottom is, to do anything to get to the top. What is the alternative? The credo is: Only if you are on top you can enjoy a decent life, you are not going through everyday hassle, you will be treated with respect. It creates a society of self-centred individuals who do only care about their own benefit rather than a healthy society, not recognising that their own children will need to live in this society too. This attitude can be found in many other places, in education systems, in offices and also amongst societal or political leaders. Such developments have to be understood and solutions explored. One starting point for everyone would be to respect other people’s time!