I do not believe that it can be truly disputed, that we in these tiny Tri-island State of Grenada, with Carriacou and Petite Martinique to make up the legal structure – have had more political upheavals, social and economic disturbances, and constitutional and legal bacchanal, than any other state in the English speaking Caribbean that derived its nation-hood from England. If the truths must be told and accepted for what they reveal – because these are the facts as they happened – we could very easily detect from the revelations and the happenings as they occurred, that over the past fifty years (from 1950 – 2000) the information we were getting as a people, and the communication we were expecting from our Leaders – left a whole lot to be desired. Information is concerned with dishing out facts, and communication is concerned with getting through to people effectively. And both must involve the personality of the sender, knowledge of the receiver, and the medium through which the message is being sent or circulated. And whether the treatment we have been getting as a people is what we deserve – because we have been taken for a joy ride too easily by or from the sweet talking of those who came promising milk and honey in a clean garden of Eden, or because we were too greedy in the first place and wanted much more than we deserved or were entitled to; or pure and simply, because those who came as saviours and deliverers from our bondage of hell on earth – they were initially genuine in their concerns to help others in need, but they were deceivers who always intended to use their powers over people and their positions to set themselves up as demi-gods. In that latter situation, they are always destined to fail. It is always only a matter of time, because good will always triumph over evil, no matter how long it may take. Our people in these Isles have been victims of the fore-going for so many of those last Fifty years, that it leaves many to wonder how, or why it is, that as a people we have continued to fall for the deception over and over again. True enough, too many are influenced by the hand-outs they receive during the process of deception, and as a result of their dependence on the material trappings they would not otherwise have been able to earn – they stoop to any level to make the deceivers look good and acceptable. In fact, when the wrong-doings and the dishonest dealings are at their highest – it is always amazing to witness the type and standing of many of those on-lookers, who either stay quiet and keep their mouth shut, or give credence and lend credibility to very obvious bubul and fraudulent activities by those in control. And very often in the recent past, it is precisely those in the latter category – who pretend to take a back seat and remain out of sight as it were, but who know and see and understand what is being done wrongly in the name of the people – it is their silence and apparent acceptance, that provide the gas and oil to service the engine that propels the corrupt political machinery to continue oppressing the people. That State of affairs have been our political and social nightmare for all those five decades – right up to the present time. And if we are not careful, in the times we are going through now-a-days – and after the events which have taken place to get us to these times from about one year ago – we could be in for a very rude awakening, when the turn around and another change over takes place in the not too distant future. It is against that critically loaded background I pose the question – are we on the right road? As we review the weekly papers these past few weeks, we can find many very well thought – out and put-together articles and letters, from obviously concerned citizens who are having second and third and fourth thoughts – about where we came from, how we got to where we are, and more importantly and very crucially, where are we going and how do we plan to get there? Where we came from, and how we got to where we are to-day, that is already history and there is nothing we can do about any part of the past. But without any shadow of doubt, where we are going and how we plan to get there – even with all the hope and faith we can muster from our beliefs in that supernatural Being – we cannot and will not make it, without sound planning and sustained adherence to those plans, deep-rooted resolve and very firm determination to make those plans become a reality, and in the process to treat people fairly and with honesty and dignity as human beings should be treated. The trend of approach coming out of those expressed concerns, seems to suggest that many people are taking a positive stand, and taking it as soon as they perceive that things are not going as they should be. By so doing, I am of the view that the approach is clearly intended to give those in authority very early warning to enable them to pull up their socks, as it were, and take the necessary measures to turn things around. Those in control and authority, should not take it upon themselves to determine that the warnings are from opponents, and should be ignored as being sour grapes from losers and their hangers-on. There are tremendous merits in many of those warnings or observations, and it thus behove those in authority to come forward and set the record, and the picture portrayed, straight and clear. And that is where the issues of information and communication come to the forefront. A major portion of the complaints and concerns stem from lack of information coming from those in authority. And when that level of starvation is allowed to take root, whatever is dished out by those in opposition become gospel. In addition thereto, when a story hits the airwaves or the headlines from whatever source – and that story touches and concerns issues and activities that are on-going, but does not go to the bottom line of the whole situation – thus leaving the ill-informed public with no alternative scenario from which to make comparisons, and eventually choose right from wrong - the end result would always favour the negative aspects that show up those in authority in a bad light. In other words – those who have the information and the relevant facts at their disposal, and who are responsible for informing and up-dating John Public with the facts and data that should be in the public domain, when they fail or neglect to carry out their public duties they have to accept and live with their failure. Accountability and transparency are the corner stones of any and every truly democratic and people-oriented regime. The people’s business must be relayed to the people at all times – whether it is good, bad, or indifferent , it makes no difference and should not be hidden from the people. To do otherwise, is to open the floodgates for speculation and mis-information, and that could be really damaging. In our economically- depressed and un-employment riddled situation now suffocating our people of all ages – the tension and emotional trauma are being felt Islands-wide, and people are naturally looking for scapegoats to off load the blame and the burden for their social down fall and deteriorating situation. And even when they know very well, that the situation has been going from bad to worse because of the global problems worldwide - when they are not getting any information from those in control and authority about what is being done to help cushion the hardships – they will accept any ole talk from others who are trying to score political points to make the incumbents look bad. On the other side of that coin, which is so very important for buying confidence and putting people’s minds at ease – is the other major public relation exercise of communication, and keeping in touch, and re-assuring those who struggled with you that they have not been forgotten, on the one hand, and on the other hand that their views and grass roots knowledge are still very important and in dire need. It is one thing to be seen on the T/V screen, or to be heard on the Radio talking to the nation about issues of national importance that affect their lives. But it is quite something else to make the time to be in the community, to mix and mingle with those who were there for you when you were struggling up-hill to reach the top. And that level of communication is not the same thing as holding surgery, or attending a session in the party office where dozens of party members could talk to their M.Ps privately for a ten minutes. That is important too, but it can also be attended by having trusted officials from the area on hand to deal with private matters, and the same related to the respective Minister with appropriate follow-up action and attention. Too many people are making the same complaint that they are not seeing their M.Ps in the community – mixing and conversing with them, as was happening before and during the days of the Election campaign. They are not expecting the same level of appearance, but they are entitled to some attention if re-election is to be expected. On the much wider front – the speculation about what is taking place inside the inner circle, and who is in charge, or control, and who is calling the shots as it were – that state of affairs or concerns seem to be ignored, and nothing visible appear to being done to steady the rocking ship. It is one thing to take the position, that if you ignore a rumour it will sooner or later go away and dis-appear – but if it is much more than a rumour, failure to deal with it positively can have devastating effects on the body politic. The so-called rumours have continued to spread for many months now – to the extent that they are now taken as factual, because nothing seems to have been done to address them so as to put the matter to rest – and public confidence is decreasing. The impression is being conveyed, that the on-coming carnival seasonal activities and some visitors coming for the occasion - will go a long way towards cooling down the concerns, and reviving the excitement and expectations that were rampant this time last year. Not only have a number of initially expected visitors changed their travel plans, because of the on-going economic depression and increased Costs of travel – but many are dis-illusioned by the wide-spread depressing reports, pertaining to Government in -activities in matters that should be at the very top of the agenda, so they are seeing nothing positive to come home to celebrate about at this time. From the reports coming my way, and the pleas from die-hard supporters to keep on sounding the warning bells – I am obliged to caution the controllers, that from all appearances we seem to be going down the wrong road. By Lloyd Noel INSIDE GRENADA NEWS