Wishing all our Readers and Members of the Sydney Times Community a Happy and Successful NEW YEAR!
The world including Sydney and NSW experienced optimistic if somewhat subdued New Year’s Eve as the coronavirus pandemic Omnicron variant forced most of the festivities to take place with limited and registered audiences and viewers . The mood was optimistic if a bit subdued, and whilst in december 2021 many of us are still apprehensive about the rapid transmission of Omnicron and the newly revised Contact Rules,..the weather is perfect and there is room for optimism that the covid epidemic may gradually extinguish itself.
This comes at a time when many have grown tired of bad news and feel angry or perplexed by the chaos surrounding the various vaccination programs and the challenges we now confront. Leaders and our communities have become more perplexed with the virus outbreak — and, especially, with how it is shaping our lives and impacting on our economy in tandem with the Chinese Trade problems and two authoritarian dictators in the form of Zhi and Putin flexing their muscles.
Whilst the beginning of the New Year was largely symbolic, with Sydneysiders lining the shores of our magnificent harbour to welcome in the New Year with the usual fanfare and Firework display which is watched around the world...it is clear that everybody is still looking towards 2022 as a fresh beginning and a fresh start in our battle to resume our normal lives.
Hopefully this will come with the launch of the National Booster Programme in the second quarter of 2021 and this will give us the impetus to fully control the pandemic,.. and resume a more normal Lifestyle without the constant Lockdowns and social distancing regimes that are wearing us all out.
The common thread that ran through the speeches of Global leaders in their New Year’s speeches, was their making an appeal for social cohesion,.which is essential to rise and meet the future challenges!
Many have already experienced serious restrictions on their freedom to move being in quarantine or isolation or much worse losing a loved one.
In these difficult times,….We need good leaders to pilot us and remain moderately optimistic about our place in the world,..,as in relative global terms the Australian outlook is not all that dire,.. and we can be confident about our future.
We need to come together as a community to strengthen our resolve to defeat the adverse circumstances ,..with the spirit, resolve and determination that have made Australia a great nation.
We wish all of our current and future readers and community members a Happy and Confident New Year,.. and assure you that we are here to serve the Sydney community and Sydney and NSW Stakeholders in these tough times as best we may!
Axel Ritenis
Publisher & Custodian
