It is often said that many people do not report to the various posts to which they are assigned. Many reasons account for this, but for me, the most poignant and often overlooked reason is the separation of families/spouses. Yes, mince no words! What is the best way to look at this perturbing issue? For indeed, the very reason why couples come together is to live together, to raise a family in which both father and mother are very much present. But for varied reasons such as globalization, the search for better and dual incomes, economic empowerment for women and for the provision of essential services, it has become necessary that both couples work, much to the detriment of this God-ordained institution. The most worrying part is when couples are forcibly separated so that one could go to provide the needs of another section of the society. Take the case of the Agric Extension Officer who is sent to a district far away from where the spouse lives because the citizenry need his/her services. What happens to the spouse and children? How do they survive? I think in this way society is unfair. For why should a family suffer in order to save a community? What makes a community, and to whom does one owe an obligation? The family or the community? I think, the Ministry responsible for social protection should impartially look at this, because a person with a divided mind cannot fully give his/her optimum to the people they seek to serve? The risks and costs associated with the constant travel, a pregnant woman in labor with a husband far away, the nursing mother with a young child being cared for by a nanny, a lonely husband seeking solace in the bar? Do you think that a peaceful co-existence is possibl? I believe so, for instance employers could make sure they do as little to disrupt families by placing spouses in places where their partners are. And if the labour laws are really enforced, I believe employees would be spared the uncomfortable situations where they are forced to choose between their spouses and their jobs. My 2 pesewas worth. Yours?