Many moons ago, I read a piece in a book in which the writer was checking the Political pulse – as he put it. He was concerned that the everyday normal occurrencies, that were taken for granted by the people in their daily lives – were dis-appearing, or no longer available, and those in control and authority did not seem to have any answers to stem the downward trend. He called a meeting for all interested persons and asked for their opinions of the crisis. A retired headmaster put it this way. Our Leaders are elected by the people for the people, and must be dedicated to achieving the greatest good for the greatest number. Politicians remain human and will make mistakes, and we must be tolerant whatever our political preference. We must support what is patently good for the Country and reject what is bad. Speak your mind without bitterness, or hatred, or violence, and make decisions through the ballot not the bullet. Solid good sense. All across and around the Global village for the past year or two ago – we seemed to have been going through crisis after crisis, that stemmed from actions taken by politicians in the so-called first world, but which affected third-World Countries and their people. And there was very little we could do about it in our neck of the woods. In fact, neither could the majority in those first-world Countries – until November fifth last year when in the accepted most powerful and prosperous Country Worldwide – the unthinkable at anytime in the last Century became a stunning reality in the U.S.A. An African/American of mixed races was elected by an over-whelming majority to lead his Country for the next four years – in the person of President Barack Obama, with his black wife Michelle Obama as the First lady - of a Country that was more racially divided than any other, except the Apartheid South Africa of old. That almost modern-day miracle seemed to have been the dramatic turning point in World related matters across the globe. True to his campaign promises, that made the majority of Americans see and recognise the eloquent and intellectually capable candidate for whom he was and what he stood for – once he received their mandate to change the old order and move into the brand new landscape he had promised, he set about doing just that in his own U..S. backyard, and wherever he had cause to visit and speak and inter-act with World Leaders and people generally. But it seemed as though the next hand of fate, the left hand, was not about ready to let the whole body of fateful events take the same trend of change down Obama way. The Economic depression and Financial crisis that was already on the boil from the year before in the U.S.A, simply hit the Country from all sides and in areas where they hurt the little people hardest i.e. in their homes with Mortgages and their jobs – and before the new President could have put his team for change together, he was already up against all manner of odds to his proposals. And as if all that was happening around the World, in which the U.S. had a part to play in one form or another – was not more than enough for the new kid in the White House – there comes out of his closest and largest neighbour to the South, Mexico, the Swine Flu epidemic now nearing pandemic proportions across the planet. It seems as though the signs and wonders now taking place World-wide, are akin to the happenings we read about in the good old testament of the Bible, as they related to Israel of those by-gone years. And while I do not necessarily agree fully, with the pronouncements, and prophecies, and interpretations being put forward by the pastors and preachers of the many smaller religious denominations – I can very well see and appreciate where they are coming from. We cannot just sit or kneel down, and rely on prayer alone to get us out of the chaos facing mankind Worldwide. Because even the great Provider and Omnipotent Saviour, did caution us that just as we cannot live on bread alone – so too we cannot live on prayers alone. We need a mixture. And perhaps now more than ever before, we cannot just sit back in these parts and wait on the first World nations to rescue us from the chaos and confusion. We have to get up and become involved in our own rescue mission – if we are ever going to extricate ourselves from the surrounding and increasing loads and loads of man-made, and in some cases natural and un-avoidable pressures, now facing us on a daily basis. Without a doubt we need some help, we need a push- start in some cases, and we most certainly need the Almighty hand – to guide us through the many pit-falls along the treacherous road we are now traveling on to the Promised Land. And we need patience, and understanding, and the foresight to see and appreciate the merits in the logic of the other person’s view point. That does not mean we have to accept whatever those in authority hand down to us on any topic. We must be free to dis-agree and express a contrary opinion, and if we feel strongly about the issue to hold on to our opinion regardless. I noticed a twist to the whole idea of expressing a contrary opinion - in the May day Rally at Progress Park in St. Andrew last week Friday – and I thought it was a novel one. One Trade Unionist took the position, that TAWU, headed by Senator Chester Humphrey who is a supporter of the Government in power – at every Rally over the years had always carried placards of protests on various topics of the Government in office, but on Friday last there was none at the Rally. I do not know if he was a TAWU member, or a member of another Union, but if he had a grouse he was free to carry a protesting placard himself – instead he was chastising TAWU for not protesting as they have always done, and from his tone of voice I got the impression that he felt there were matters deserving protests. He could have been a supporter of the last Government that was ousted by the NDC, so he was there wearing his NNP cap in protest from a political stand point.. Another very important matter that is currently giving cause for concern – from the stand point of politics which is unfortunate – is the whole issue of the Swine Influenza and our Grenadian students in Mexico . Some persons have actually voiced the opinions, that the Government of NDC is moving slowly or not at all – because those students in Mexico were granted Scholarships by the last NNP Government of Dr. Mitchell. Those persons taking that position are clearly not fully advising themselves, from whatever source, before making such outrageous statements about a matter that has very serious implications for all concerned. I was informed – that by last week Weds/Thurs six students from Mexico would have been in Grenada , and arrangements had to be put in place to have them quarantined in safe places, until they had been tested and declared safe for going to their respective homes. That kind of safety precaution is an absolute MUST – for anyone coming out of Mexico in the state of affairs now existing therein. But what is just as dangerous for the very students, depending on where in Mexico they are currently based on their Scholarships- is the very real possibility that by traveling from where they are to get to an airport, and also by being closed up in an Aeroplane with persons who could have come from the infected areas in Mexico - they would be seriously exposed to becoming infected. It is therefore not a straight case of sending an empty plane from Grenada to an airport in Mexico, to collect our 50/60 students and taking them home. There are many twists ad turns to the whole process, and I wish people would concentrate on the welfare of all those students – and leave the nonsensical political biases well away. And those who are out there, just looking for every scrap of an issue to make it into a Mountain of complaints and dis-enchantment – they should not even be called politicians – they disgrace the calling. And while we all hope and pray that his health crisis would be overcome – with out any serious effects on our people in the region and our own nationals here at home and those in Mexico – we still have to cope with the financial crisis that is very much on our doorsteps. Those in control have been going out and about over the Tri-island State, and doing their best to bring people up to date with the situation as it affects us all. News have also been filtering through, that a number of the ex-Imani students have been taken back on the payroll in some schools and other Government places, and many are being trained for placement elsewhere. So the Twenty-Millions loan to support the Budget are being utilized – to help the less fortunate and ease up the increasing financial pressure – but like the rest of the World, we have a very long way to go before getting out of the darkened woods. While we are up against all the odds, the legal fraternity took the time off last week Monday, to bid farewell to our late brother Ovid C. Gill who had departed this life the Monday before, 20th April. Nearly all the lawyers in Grenada, the Judiciary and a Lawyer from St. Vincent, gathered at the High Court with his family and other friends to pay tribute to a truly outstanding professional and human being. And later the same day, at another impressive ceremony at his local Methodist Church in St. Pauls – he was religiously remembered and solemnly sent on his final journey to the St. George’s Cemetery, to join his late dear wife Sheila, who pre-deceased him many years ago. But as the inscription on the Tomb they now share proclaim---“United at Last”. May they continue to rest in peace, and their loved ones be fortified in the knowledge that they had two truly wonderful parents. As one Lawyer later put it to me – it was a beautiful occasion, that whole day. By Lloyd Noel (Attorney-at-Law) Inside Grenada News