INSIDE GRENADA JANUARY 26, 2008 by Lloyd Noel I vividly remember the late nineteen fifties, when Caribbean nationals from the Colonies started invading the United Kingdom, in search of our fame and fortunes from the mother land. The Caribbean Colonies were on the move towards the Federation of the West Indies, and that was achieved in 1958 but only lasted until 1962 - when the Jamaican Government decided to pull out from the group of Ten, and the late Eric Williams Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago coined the famous "new maths principle", by deciding "that 1 from 10 leaves 0", and therefore with Jamaica pulling out there was nothing left. In Africa at the time (late fifties) the move there was towards Independence from the U.K. and Colonies, and the late Prime Minister Harold MacMillan of Britain at the time, visited a few of the African Colonies to see and hear and feel the mood of the people. And when he returned to London and was reporting his experiences to the House of Commons (Parliament in England), he made the famous statement that "the wind of change is blowing through out the African Continent". And the rest, as is often times said, is now history - as one after another of African States severed their political Bonds with England, and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in due course of time. The changes of Governments in the Bahamas, St. Lucia, Jamaica and lastly Barbados on January fifteenth - all in the last fifteen months or so, brought back memories of that famous Statement now applicable to the Caribbean Community. And in the Cases of Jamaica and Barbados, the incumbent parties in power were both looking for their fourth Consecutive terms in control. And with fairly reasonable records of performances over the years in office, they both felt very confident that they would have succeeded. But the voices of the people, demonstrated by the votes of the majority at the Polls, brought home to both sets of Leaders the very fundamental bed-rock of democracy, as well as the ever-present lesson that the people’s power transcends and overcomes that of the most powerful leaders - however lengthy may have been their occupation of the seats of control and governmental authority. Without any doubt what-so-ever, there are many real similarities and compelling parallels - between the Jamaica/Barbados happenings and lessons emanating therefrom, and the impending situation festering in our Spice Isles of Grenada Carriacou and Petite Martinique. But before I go any further in explaining my position, I wish to sound a very salutary warning to all our prospective voters and people generally - that regardless of the similarities, parallels, lessons, and your likes and dis-likes of what is taking place, or have taken place over the years - the onus, the responsibility, and the duty and care towards the welfare and prosperity of all our people, must be put into practice in the very concrete way of turning out on polling day to cast your vote. If you fail to do that, and you take the position that you are leaving it to others to bring about the changes for you to benefit - then you will be risking the very real probability of leaving our people’s fate in the wrong hands in the years ahead. I heard a variety of comments and sentiments expressed by many persons after the Barbados Election results, and many of them were really only facing up to the facts as they unfolded in Bridgetown and nothing more. But the comments I heard from the Prime Minister Dr. Mitchell, set me thinking about our situation vis-a-vis that of Barbados, and how and where there were similarities and differences that could impact on our welfare and our fate in the fulness of time. The Prime Minister was acknowledging that the people of Barbados obviously wanted a change, hence their majority Votes for the opposition DLP of Mr. David Thompson. But he went on to stress the point, that the new Prime Minister and his party did not seek to damage the image and reputation or the good name of Barbados - they dealt with issues and the programme of the BLP while in office. I could simply answer that point by stating that the image, reputation, and good name of the nation-state of Barbados and or that of Grenada - can only be damaged or brought into dis-repute or disgrace, by the actions, omissions, and wrong-doings of those in control and authority, who are responsible for the management of the affairs of the nation-state - and by no other means. Prime Minister David Thompson and his DLP Candidates during the election Campaign, were very critical of the BLP’s fiscal and economic policies, and even blamed the Owen Arthur regime for the escalating cost of living in Barbados. They castigated the outgoing Prime Minister for moneys spent on the Kensington Oval "White Elephant" and the many instances of huge sums of costs over-run on various projects over the years. Just as those concerned in Grenada have been doing, and will no doubt continue to do, before and after the Election bell rings. But what the DLP Candidates could not have done in Barbados, and the NDC and GULP and PLM Candidates have been doing, and will certainly continue to do in the weeks and months ahead - is to showcase the many times, after time, after time, after embarrassing times, that those in the seats of power in St. George’s have brought shame and scandal upon the nation-state and its people; by their wilful actions and omissions, and or their gross negligence or couldn’t care less attitude, and or their wanton dis-regard for the good and welfare of the people, and the security and protection of the people’s property and national assets - ad nauseum. Just look at how the Owen Arthur BLP Government dealt with the huge influx of Mainland Chinese Nationals, who were flooding Barbados with the Chinese Construction Companies that had secured building Contracts in the Hotel Sector in Barbados. He quite reasonably but firmly laid it down, that no more than 40% of the required work force from China will be allowed into Barbados, and the rest must be hired from among the locals on the island. In our case here in the "anything goes rat race" - a Chinese Company was given complete freedom to out-bid a local Contractor - purely on the basis that the labour force from the Millions of cheap Chinese Labourers will be brought into Grenada, and the local chaps were out of a job because the Contractor loss the contract. We are now hearing of some even stranger happenings, touching and concerning the same Chinese Company that won the Grand Harbour Contract from La Touche Creative Design Company. The Customs department is supposedly investigating the transfer of equipment from the National Stadium project - that is still un-finished - to the newly won Contract site in the South of the Island; and the rough and ready dorms that was being built at Woodlands to house the in-coming hundreds of cheap Chinese Labourers, is turning out to be a proper Hotel for paying guests. Maybe from Beijing, who knows!! And to add duty-free insult to financial injury - it is reported that a Container of highly priced items, presumably for the "proper Hotel", is on the docks having initially received duty-free concessions for the Labourers dorms. You see how the evil things that men/women do will live on to haunt and torment them later on? But unfortunately the good is always interred with their bones. However, although we have been gluttons for repeated punishment over the years - we should be taking this Customs investigation report with more than a pound of salt, because it could very well be a wholesale whitewash - to try and cover over the dirty patches that have preceded this latest attempt to make it look as though the system is functioning properly. Without being too skeptical, and unduly pessimistic about actions that seem to be coming good on the surface at least - we cannot forget that we are still waiting on the Enquiry report, from the second team of investigators into the Taiwan/Mainland China National Anthem Fiasco, that took place at the National Stadium handing over Ceremony early last year. And after all the heavy fees to the Cheltham Commission of Inquiry high profile Lawyers - into the Brief Case and Resteiner St. Moritz payment scandal to the Prime Minister - the report due since September 30th last year, is still, like the winds of change, blowing about in the atmosphere somewhere and unable to come down to earth for publication. And as for the many Court Cases involving the two highest officials in the ruling party, and the Millions of U.S. dollars the Government has spent or had to pay for judgments obtained against it in foreign courts - and all involving scandalous associations with foreign crooks and conmen by our top Government big wigs - those are the black marks and deeply tainted records that bring our Country and officials into dis-repute. So whatever the Prime Minister may think about those persons who say it as they see it to the World at large - the problem is not with the publishers, but with himself and his very own comrades and hangers-on who benefitted financially from the many subversive schemes and corrupt practices over the years. And, therefore, despite the very many good deeds the Government had accomplished over the years, the rotten deals are more than enough for the people to decide that the time for change is now, or never. But even after so many instances that have shown up the powers-that-be in very bad light, almost to the point of darkness, strange things continue to take place that baffle straight-forward and right thinking people across the political divide. The grapevine news surrounding the N.I.S. top management officials, is buzzing with speculation about the sudden removal of the Manager and his deputy, and the replacement by Mr. Garvey Louison and a new deputy to run the National Insurance business. Changing personnel in any organisation is not un-usual in itself, but the rationale and the motives for so doing are the yardsticks by which the changes are to be judged. And the rumoured motive in this case - which has to do with the Government demands for another big loan, when the same Government is not even servicing existing big loans from the same NIS - cannot be even discussed, never mind seriously considered, as reasonable for changing the two top officials who did not approve the demands. The changes in the NIS hierarchy, is reminiscent of that which took place in the Electoral Register Office of the Supervisor of Elections - and the continuing very adverse repercussions therefrom are plain enough for all to see. And as the very strong winds of change continue to blow in these parts of the region of CARICOM, my crystal ball is blinking with ominous signals, that are indicating that much more strange happenings are building on the Election year horizon. It therefore behoves each and every one of us, as citizens or residents of these still very peaceful Isles - relatively speaking - to be on our guard, and be eternally vigilant in the torrid times ahead. The winds of change will continue to blow - but as a people we have to be caught up in the heavy gales of wind, if we really want to bring about the needed and necessary changes. As the good Book puts it - "wake up my people, and stay awake"!!