I had the privilege and the pleasure to travel across the Caribbean and three or four States in the U.S.A. , and met and spoken with a whole lot of people on a variety of topics and current subjects that affect us all. I am more convinced than ever before, that in our situation here at home change is not a promise – it is a categorical imperative. We must change the society to survive as a viable and progressive people and Community. The more I saw and heard and read of the happenings on my travels these past four weeks, and digested the manner and open-ness and frankness with which issues were handled, the more concerned I became that the only movement we were experiencing here at home was forward never, but backward ever. And as I reflected on the happenings here at home, and I was in daily contact with my office and colleagues and keeping in touch with the mounting tension taking place, I could not help making the obvious comparison – that it was not because we were so far removed from the developed world and lofty standards and principles, or because those in control did not know better and could do better – but because there seem to be an inherently entrenched tendency, in those who fight to bring about relief from wrong-doing and oppression, and do succeed for a period – they somehow fall back into the same dungeons of disgraceful and de-humanising darkness, that they once despised and even took up arms and ammunitions to battle against, and many times become much worse than their predecessors. The historical facts, and very sorrowful events that stand out from those times, and remain always to haunt us as a people – cannot be be-littled or denied by anyone. The Eric Gairy period from 1951 to 1979; the Maurice Bishop and NJM shortened reign from 1979 to 1983; and now the Keith Mitchell sojourn from 1995 to-date – all contain the elements of attaining lofty heights, and subsequently descending to levels much lower than those they once despised. The other aspect of those periods that remain to give cause for concern – is that our people have been too tolerant and laid back, and far too ready to accept the wrong-doings and oppressive conditions – on the basis that it happened before, as though that is a pre-condition for repetition. And therein lies the ever-present and over-riding topical concern; we all desperately want change and we need that change now to move forward. But are the many aspiring strugglers, on the road leading the match towards that much-needed change – ready, willing, and able to manage that change, and refrain from repeating our history? Only time and our people’s votes will tell. Just as the topic of Election is ever-present in Grenada since the beginning of this year – so too the Presidential Election and primaries in the U.S.A. have been daily in the news. Wherever I went from Miami in Florida , to Las Vegas in Nevada and across the border in Arizona , and to the Big Apple in New York for the last lap on my way home to continue the struggle – the topic had been Obama against Hillary Clinton. I have been keenly following the historical progress of Barack Obama, as the first potential Presidential African-American Candidate to win the Democratic nomination for the big event in November. And I sincerely hope that by the time you are reading this column in Caribbean Net News on Tuesday 3rd June – the fight will be over, and Obama will be the political hopeful to usher in the very much needed changes – to bring back America to the position of respect and true World renowned leadership it was once so famous for. I have seen and read all the very negative and spurious attempts by the detractors, who are sorely afraid of the potential positive changes that will seriously disrupt the centuries – old in-humane imbalances, that have kept the poorer and under-privileged and hard-working lower sectors of the U.S. Society as under-dogs for far too long. And I feel a sense of deep pride, to have always held the sincere belief in the American Systems of Democracy and Justice; and to see it first hand living up in very real and practical terms, by the manner Americans of all shades of Colour, political preferences, religious belief and persuasion, wealth and prestigious national standing – are all coming together to bring about the needed changes that will herald a new beginning in that new World. I do confess, with no apologies of any sort, that I do have a very special reason and personal gratitude for and to the United States of America – then under the presidential leadership of the late fearless Ronald Reagan, who sent in his troops to rescue Grenadians from bondage in October 1983. And in the process also freed hundreds of so-called detainees from prison – including your humble servant, who was detained with no charge or trial by the PRG, for over two and a quarter years. The World super-powers balance changed after that Rescue Mission, or intervention – call it what you may – and the impending changes that Obama and his followers and promoters are now putting forward, are reminiscent of that “Reagan era” nearly one quarter of a century ago. And something is telling me that they can pull it off. Yes they can. And so I left the political heat wave in the U.S.A. and safely returned to my home, and work and the ongoing ever-increasing political madness, and reckless administrative behaviour patterns that are on all fours with the Eric Gairy sickness that brought about the struggles and uprising from 1973 to March 13th 1979. Why, oh why, we cannot learn from our past very glaring mistakes, and benefit therefrom? The CAP BANK fiasco ascended to even higher heights than anyone could have imagined or foreseen. The lady Judge’s Ruling in which she appointed, or confirmed the appointment of a Receiver by the P.M. – was challenged by the Cap Bank CEO, Finton DeBurg, represented by Cajeton Hood and Marlon Glean, and the challenge was heard by the same Judge in Court. The said Judge, after hearing arguments and reviewing what went before, proceeded to Revoke her first Ruling which was clearly wrong, and ordered that the Bank’s operation and assets (Buildings etc.) be returned to the CEO and his Board of Directors within twenty-four hours. Mr. Wildman, representing the P.M. as Minister of Finance, filed an Appeal and applied to the same Judge for a stay of her judgment, in which she held that she was wrong to appoint or confirm the appointment of a Receiver. Lo! and behold! The said Judge granted the stay and in effect over-ruled her earlier judgment that she was wrong, to appoint or confirm the Receiver. Clearly, in the interest of Justice, she could and should have refused the stay and leave it up to the Court of Appeal to grant or deny the stay - as that Court saw fit. The situation was already very bad, but that ruling that she was wrong about the Receiver, and the subsequent stay to therefore allow the Bank and its depositors to exist in Limbo – was even worse, because the Receiver’s appointment had by then expired under the terms of the original bad Order she agreed was wrong. Further Hell broke lose thereafter. The Financial Intelligence Unit, under the direction of Mr. Hugh Wildman, proceeded to have Mr. DeBurg arrested for Fraud - and the brand new Chief Magistrate, Mr. Jerry Seales, granted him Bail in the sum of One Million dollars, with One Hundred Thousand Dollars in cash, and other forms of restrictions to curtail the C.E.O’s movements. And to add further legal chaos to the existing financial confusion – a few days thereafter, Mr. Reynold Benjamin – a senior Lawyer and one of the Leaders of the GULP – was also arrested for Fraud, in connection with his involvement as the former Lawyer for Cap Bank, in the Court matters touching and concerning the Banking Licence that was issued by the Minister of Finance and Prime Minister, Hon. Keith Mitchell in 1995 – who is again to-day the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Mr. Benjamin was arrested by the officers attached to the F.I.U. under the direction of Mr. Hugh Wildman. And to add political insult to judicial injury, the P.M., in flagrant dis-obedience to the Court Order to refrain from going public with the Receiver’s report – went to Parliament and read from it and announced that he is going to the same Judge to get permission to use public money to pay off Depositors who have $500.00 or less in the same Cap Bank. So under the doctrine of the Separation of powers – the P.M. is about to bestow on the Court the Constitutional power to disburse the people’s money from the Treasury as he and the Judge see fit. How much longer, dear Lord, can this pappy show and monkey business prevail? But then again – if the people want it so then so be it – because at the further end of the day they are the ones who will have to stand the consequences. The Cheltenham report into the Resteiner half a million dollars payment to the P.M. – as payment for the diplomatic appointment as Grenada’s roving representatives in Europe – was at long last published in May, eight months after the time provided for in the Governor General ‘s order. While the findings said nothing about the central issue, as to whether or not the said sum was paid and received, some statements were included touching and concerning the whole sordid operation, in language that clearly indicated there was high-powered hanky-panky embedded in there somewhere. But it was laughable to hear the Commissioner stating – that the P.M. was not a witness and he was not subject to Cross-Examination – when he it was who failed to summon the P.M. to give evidence, and refused to allow the Leader of the Opposition to be represented before the Commission to cross-examine witnesses. The whole charade was a grossly expensive farce, and the report merely highlighted that fact. The very day I returned home we had the eleventh murder in Grenada , with a school boy killing another school boy at the Wesley College School in Queens Park in St. George, just after school was finished for the day. We are breaking record after record with these killings in just five months of the year. And everytime the next one takes place people are just wringing their hands and expressing shock and disbelief. I do not pretend to know the answer nor have the remedy; but I continue to maintain, that so long as those at the top of the fountain of power, continue to behave as though Grenada and its resources were left to them in a political “Will” by their ancestors in corruption, to debase and destroy for their own self enrichment – then I do not and cannot see any easy way out of our moral and social destruction and demise. Something has to give way, and it must start at the top to work its way down to the bottom of the ladder. In discussing the malaise infesting our society and people lately, with a conscious young man who had some experience from abroad – he pointed out to me that our downward trend of national destruction and decay can be likened to a fish – because, he said, a fish always start to rotten from the “head” downwards. As I thought further about that statement, I saw clearly the wisdom of that piece of logic as it applies to Grenada and its people in these trying times. We cannot simply and only continue to pray and asking the good Lord to deliver us from all the surrounding evils. We have, as a people, to get up from our cozy behinds and make things happen –because if we don’t wake up, and shake up, and re-direct the downward trend by positive change, then we are doomed to suffer for our mistakes and our recklessness for another five years and beyond. The trend of entertainment and apparent up-liftment, for our young and not so young now-a-days – is to blow their minds with wine and jam and rap music most weekends. And in the process spending hundreds of thousands of dollars that can be put to much better and productive uses, by the same powers-that-be who are trying to intoxicate those young people minds and thinking to get them to “let the progress continue” in their drunken state. The next few months are crucial and vital to our people and our Country’s future well being. The inputs of all and sundry, wherever you maybe as a Grenadian, are of paramount importance towards that goal. I had a very vibrant session with interested Grenadians in Brooklyn , New York , last week – and they sounded ready and willing to help bring about the needed change. If their enthusiasm and concern can be spread across the diaspora in North America and the U.K – to help clarify the road map ahead for their relatives and friends here at home – we surely can bring about that needed change, to rescue our once peaceful and progressive Spice Isles. In the midst of many friends and family members on Sunday night – first June, 2008 – we got the breaking news that the General Elections will be on Tuesday Eighth July, 2008; just nine days after the two one day International Cricket matches between West Indies and Australia. Not un-expected in the circumstances. By Lloyd Noel Attorney-at-law Inside Grenada columnist