It has been said that we don’t have to be malicious or take delight in scoring points off others. But it is often the only way to shake people from a prejudicial position acquired from a biased background or shady environment, by letting them realise the absurdity of their position on matters of deep-seated concerns. Hopefully, they will reflect somewhat on that position and come back to the basic truths. Where and when they don’t, and persist with their obstinate decision – in the final analysis, a sincere, informed conscience is the ultimate guide. While we are supposed to be committed as Christians, to taking up our cross in whatever way God’s challenge comes to us, we should be making sure never to impose man-made crosses on others, but to seek rather to lighten their loads. In our Tri-island State since the Election date last year – and the Election of a new Government to replace the long-standing thirteen years in office of the regime of the NNP – the financial situation had moved from bad to worse, and the crisis has continued to deteriorate with every passing month, and from all appearances it is only heading deeper and deeper into the depths of the economic and fiscal depression – with no visible signs of a slow down on the horizon or near-by. That State of affairs was not simply inherited from the last Government nor the mis-management of the people’s business over the long years. While there is no doubt that the bad spending, and the absolute lack of any accountability for huge sums of the people’s monies that were paid to individuals in some cases, and to Government departments and other agents in many other cases – that those shortcomings greatly contributed to the new controllers in-ability to meet their on-going demands, and or to even attempt to keep the many promises they made during the campaign. But in situations such as those listed above, these are the ideal occasions for the new-comers to demonstrate to those who put their faith in them – that they are capable and worthy of the trust. And even where those in control may have pet subjects and peculiar preferences of one kind or another that they would like to implement – they first of all have a duty to the people who elected them to deal with matters that are beneficial to the people first and foremost, and not their preferences. It is against that background the renaming of the Point Salines Airport , to that of the Maurice Bishop Airport , on the 30th May, 2009, should be viewed and considered. I have not yet seen the Bill that was brought to Parliament last week to give legal effect to the change of name, but among other things – when passed into Law by the Senate and signed by the Governor General - it would signal a very strange turn-around in the history and happenings surrounding the Revolution of March 13th 1979, and the Leader as Prime Minister. When the Revo took place, the Constitution was suspended as well as Parliament. The G.G. Sir Paul Scoon, was retained but he had no functions as laid down in the 1974 Constitution. The People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) of (23) Twenty-three members was appointed by the Leader, and certain members were assigned responsibility as “Ministers” in charge of the various departments of the Government, and Maurice assumed the Prime Minister portfolio. General Elections were promised but never held, so the PRG remained the Government in fact but never in Law for its entire four years and seven months. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court removed its Headquarters from St. George’s in Grenada , so that move was taken as a rejection of the PRG as the illegal body running the Government in Grenada . The PRG therefore inaugurated its own High Court and Court of Appeal and the Magistrates Courts remained as before. In the Common Law – as practiced in the Commonwealth of nations – from which we obtained our legal system throughout colonialism into Independence – the PRG was the “defacto” (infact) Government, but never the “dejure” (in Law) Government of Grenada Carriacou and Petite Martinique. It is somewhat ironical, that Twenty-six years almost to the day – after the illegal PRG destroyed itself, and the Revo Leader along with some Ministers with him – the Constitutional Parliament (Lower House) passed the “Point Salines International Airport Re-naming Bill 2009” through all its stages in that House. The same procedures would have taken place in the Senate or Upper House, and the Law would be in place when signed by the Governor General in time for the official ceremony of the Airport re-naming on Saturday 30th May2009. The new name of the Grenada Airport is not simply “defacto” but “dejure” – the Maurice Bishop International Airport . Never a dull moment or second-hand news in our Tri-Island State . In the region we are always ahead in excitement, and the “first” in matters of national history making. I did not hear the debate in Parliament over the Airport Re-naming Bill – but I have been reliably informed, that during the debate after the opposition M.P Roland Bhola had made his contribution, which was critical of the wasteful spending and the high priority given to the project – the P.M. responded by advising him to get his supporters and demonstrate against the Government’s action. It was not clear whether the Demo should be before or during the ceremony on Saturday – but it surely would be in keeping with the historical rise of the NJM which pre-ceded Independence and the Revo itself ; as well as the very day of the destruction of the Revolution and the comrades who perished on that day. Where else could all the foregoing have taken place, but in the Spice Isles of Grenada? The P.M. is surely a student, as well as a past victim of our history, on the rise to his lofty position as Leader of our people. Was he merely joking? It is also strange and must be very confusing to our people in general, and more so to our younger folks who are the men and women of tomorrow that will have to take over the channels of control and the reins of power to lead our nation in this ever changing century. In the same week that a new Law was passed in parliament to re-name the Airport, and which very high handed decision with no consultation, has clearly divided the very people who voted to put the incumbents in the seats of power, on the one hand; and on the other hand, has widened the gap between the two warring factions of NDC and NNP, on the very burning question of what is the true and under-lying policy – of the always suspected get together between the left overs from the PRG and the remainders from the original NDC, and where would that policy be taking us. In that very week, the Leaders of the OECS sub-grouping in the CARICOM region met in the BVI, and the theme of that meeting was the very worrying problem of dis-unity in the region as a whole, and what means can be employed to stem the growing malaise. The Barbados P.M’s firm stand on the Immigration issue in his homelands; the St. Vincent and the Grenadines response in relation to his Country’s nationals residing in Barbados, and his threat to pull out of the CSME – which is itself at a standstill after more than six years since its inception – and the CCJ which has the same two participants since the inauguration and opening of its Head quarters in Port-of-Spain – were all issues of great concern for those leaders. And in to-day’s escalating depression, and the widening of the gap between the haves and the haves not, and the decreasing opportunities for those in need to find a job and relief from their financial worries and social problems, - against those daunting and life-threatening hardships, what we all need as a regional and sub-regional grouping that is becoming more vulnerable with every passing day, is more and much more unity, and solidarity, and respect and understanding of each other’s problems, without having to bull-doze our own ideas over the next person and adopt a policy of total blindness to his/her peculiar situation. And if we cannot bring about that sense of unity, and understanding, and appreciation among ourselves in our own backyard as it were –how can we ever hope to do so with those we do not know, and only hear and read about from miles across the seas and only on very special occasions? Charity must begin at home – among the family, and neigbours, and workmates, and parishioners, before it can spread out Island wide and regionally. So to ignore the other person’s viewpoint on your doorstep, or to treat your political opponents reasons for the positions he holds with scant dis-regard, or to do your own thing on matters of national importance because you have the majority – or to behave like the Revo Leader himself, when he said that once he signs an order is up to “Mahogany Row” (R.H. Prison) you go, and then go to the Parliament and pretend to give the whole charade Constitutional Legality, by passing a Law that all must obey – cannot be the best way to go. I saw a letter from a Mr. James Fortune, in Grenada Today in last week’s issue, and he was asking me to resign as the P.M. Advisor. I respect his views and also applaud him for putting his name to his public feelings - but I have to correct him about my appointment; I am not the P.M. Advisor, that paid position is held by Mr. Aaron Moses, not myself. I am one of three Lawyers appointed by Cabinet to review certain Contracts and other Government agreements entered into by the last Government between 2003 and July, 2008, and through the Chairman Mr. Henry Joseph we submit our findings and opinions. We have thus far looked at all that were put before us and submitted our reports – nothing more nothing less, and we give our services freely. The opinions I express in this Column – as I have been doing in the Grenadian Voice since about December, 1983, and for the past few years in Grenada Today – are all my own and I try always to say it as I see it. Of course, the very first article was published in the Grenadian Voice of June 13th 1981, as “You and The Law”. The second one for June 20th 1981, never got published because the paper was closed down the night before and the Reneo machine seized by the PRA. P.M. Tillman Thomas also had an Article entitled “Agriculture as a Priority” in that first issue, and Leslie Pierre wrote the Editorial. I still have that first issue, sent to me by a reader after we three were rescued from Prison in October, 1983, as a Souvenir. As is so often said in circumstances like these – the rest is now history, but being re-visited on the 30th May, 2009, with the re-naming of the Airport as the M.B.I.A through an Act of Parliament – so that the new name will be recognised Worldwide in fact (defacto) as well as in Law (dejure). By Lloyd Noel