Someone once said that happiness does not come from having much to live on, but from having much to live for. That statement sounds nice to listen to when read aloud, as well as to savor the true meaning of those simple words as we read them over again to help the true meaning sink in. In the trying times peoples worldwide are now experiencing – on the economic and financial hardship fronts, from the loss of jobs and homes and rising prices across the board – it is not so easy to sell them the above saying because the turn-around is very uncertain. But it is precisely in times like these that the people have to look to their leaders – for sound judgments, careful and wise decisions in implementing the policies they have been projecting, and above all else in recognizing the pit falls in the paths chosen, and being patriotic and strong enough to change course and adopt new measures in the interest and welfare of the people. People anywhere, even in Countries where they have not been subjected and accustomed to the democratic niceties of those in the western World, they do not expect miracles to be performed by those they chose to lead them – but they at least are entitled to expect their leaders to leave up to promises made, and to behave in accordance with the principles they espoused when they were condemning the wrong-doings and the atrocities of those they were seeking to depose. And when or where those leaders let down the people, or fail to heed the warning bells that are being sounded to wake them up before it becomes too late – they should not expect from those same people any lesser standard of consideration than was applied to their pre-decessors. And for those leaders to sit back on their laurels and blindly hope, or foolishly expect, or demand so-called party loyalty to come to their rescue and excuse their short-sightedness, then they do not deserve to be called leaders. Of course, when the people are subjected to the widely tried and tested system of Socialist Democratic Centralism – which has failed time and time again, because it is basically deceitful and keeps people in deeper bondage then the Capitalists Imperialism those Socialist Leaders like to boast about and decry as the opium of the people; when that is allowed to take root, the only resulting out-come is our sad experience in Grenada of October 1983. I noticed that Mr. Kent Joseph, the former NDC General Secretary and one time Candidate for Election (and Senator), was publicly expressing his concerns about the apparent style of leadership in the current Government – in last week’s Grenada Today Newspaper. He hinted that there was no alternative Government in sight at present, and bemoaned the fact that the voices of most members of the rank and file of the party and the Country are not being heard – but that there was still some support for the NDC. Whatever is the true position in the Country to-day, there is still four years to run before the issue of an alternative Government comes into play. So that while those in control still have that period to pull up their socks, those waiting in the wings who will be shouting “we told you so from day one” – they too also have the same period to re-vamp and consolidate their positions to make their presence felt. And what was done with the Airport last week-end cannot be un-done in those four years; so that the passage of time, and the advantages or repercussions therefrom will have their parts to play in due course of time. Talking about, or reflecting on the happenings in connection with the Airport last week-end – I had a few calls from concerned persons about the news item, that Mr. Allan Campbell, a known supporter and media person close to the last Government, was detained by the police for questioning - because of statements he made on his Radio programme. I did not hear what he said over the air, but the information reaching me was that he was advising people not to attend the function on Saturday 30th May, because it was or maybe un-safe to do so. And the rationale as I understand it from the Police viewpoint, was that he may have had knowledge of planned subversive activities at the Airport during the celebrations. What I can say on the matter that disturbed me on the Thursday a.m. last week – was that I heard a Senior police officer on the Radio, warning the public that they will be subject to searches when coming to the airport on the Saturday for the function. The reason advanced was heightened security concerns. The police may well have had good reasons for those concerns, but putting it over as was done on that a.m. was, in my opinion, frightening people away from attending at the Airport. So if all Mr. Campbell was doing stemmed from the police officer’s warning to the public – I find the police action in detaining him very high-handed, and far too reminiscent of the actions of the very same Revolutionary Leader who was being honoured for his dictatorial deeds. His vision for Grenada and its people was very fully and forcefully stated in his Line of March Speech of September, 1982, and Grenada Today very generously reproduced that whole speech as an annex to last week’s issue, so that readers can keep it as a souvenir in memory of last Friday/Saturday Airport renaming. But if one could go back in time to June, 2008, just after the Election date was announced at the NNP rally in Gouyave to be July 8th , and try to compare the fervor and glowing expectations that existed then, to the lack lustre and very cool response from the majority, to nearly everything coming out of the corridors of the Government now-a-days, the result would be very dis-heartening. And as the former General Secretary of the NDC party put it – “let us hope that the Leadership of the NDC get their act together, sooner rather then later, if not may the Lord help Grenada ”. I could not agree more with these sentiments. There seems to be a whole lot of emphasis being placed now on culture and tourism for the up-coming carnival season, and the promotions are on-going in Canada the U.S.A. and more recently in London – to woo our Nationals especially to come back home to celebrate with us, one year after the sweeping changes of July eighth last year. It cannot be Calypso and Soca, and whine and jam alone as was usual in the old days. A lot of those nationals out there are seriously considering returning home to spend their last years in peace and some measure of comfort, and the attraction has to be some assurances that the times have been changed for the better, and we are moving forward. The majority of those who would be thinking of returning home to settle down, are already receiving or on the verge of getting their pensions from the U.K. especially. And one of the draw backs from returning home – is that our Governments in Grenada have had no arrangement with the U.K. Government for those pensioners nor those already here, to get increases on their pensions from England when it is being paid directly to them in Grenada. That would have been a worthwhile attraction, if the powers-that-be had done their homework or got their act together by checking out those persons already here who could help at that level. Another very sore point with prospective returnees is the whole issue of the Health service and how it can be improved, or better packaged to be more attractive to those who want to return home to settle. A lot of work needs to be done in that area, not just to attract new comers but for our people in general – because what was inherited left a whole lot to be desired. The economic crisis is hitting those folks even harder than us here at home, because they have to pay for everything in those big cities – so they want to see or hear about plans and programs in place that will make a difference to their lives once they re-settle. And they do have something to offer in providing jobs even for building their homes – as well as their spending power wherever they should settle in the Country. These should be the priority issues our leaders should have been looking at and discussing, for the improvement of the lives of our people who cannot go elsewhere at his time, as well as making the package much more attractive to entice those who can assist the stimulus efforts to come back home. Instead of taking that high road of prudence and transparency, that can build bridges to overcome the pitfalls we are bound to encounter on that road – those in control and with the authority to make things happen, they chose to go back thirty years to try and prove to the World at large – that what was wrong then is so right now. Political nonsense and crass stupidity is how I would describe the backward move. But the passage of time and the unfolding events resulting therefrom, would surely reveal to us all on which side of the fence the wisdom is to be found. And despite whatever we all may say, and however deeply we may feel let down or lifted up by the bold move at this time – we have to live with the political out come, and do our best to promote the positive aspects as there maybe, or reduce the impact of the negatives that may be encountered along the way. The job of convincing the doubting Thomases was very hard to begin with but the happenings in Parliament and at the Airport in the past two weeks or so – have made the task twice as hard and even more difficult to overcome. The road ahead is rough and rugged, and instead of the sympathetic goodwill that many of the wavering crowd may have been to make allowances for – those in control and authority now have to justify their decisions by hard and fast results in the coming months. The wait to see period is now over and behind us, and the actions and omissions will no longer be judged from the stand point of the new boys on the block just finding their way around. The comments and observations I am getting from John Public on a daily basis, are not coming from opponents of the party in power – but from die-hard supporters who have braved the rough times to bring about the July eighth victory a year ago. The P.R. that is now needed – to repair the damages that have been done in the last few months – must therefore be launched on two fronts, the one aimed at the supporters and party members, and the other at known opponents. And don’t anyone sit back and think that the dis-enchantment is only in this or that constituency or Ministry of Government – it is widespread and needs very urgent attention across the board. There are some bread and butter issues that need to be addressed with some urgency – like for example the Capital Bank and Depositors monies, the G.C.N.A. and Nutmeg farmers investment, and lately the fish market building on the old Carenage site in St. George’s that many little Vendors depend on. There is so much ole talk on the ground level, about what is happening in the corridors of power, and what changes can be expected, and so on and so forth – that I see even Mr. Winty Frederick (an old GULP) has come back home, and is talking about challenging the P.M. for the St. Patrick’s East Constituency with his new party PULP – the “P”is for people in place of the “G”. Never a dull moment in these Spic Isles – despite the difficult times we are forced to live under. By Lloyd Noel (Attorney-at-law) Inside Grenada News