The late Michael Manley of Jamaica once said, that a foolish politician will never think of more than where the next stand pipe is to go, although that is part of his duty. A wise Politician will be concerned with Social Justice and the development of the people as a whole, and will be in constant dialogue with his people to ensure that what emerges is what the people want. In our Caribbean region, the tendency always seem to be concentrated around what the Leader and his party wants – rather than what the people and the Country as a whole need at any particular point in time. Political action in any country can only proceed at the pace that is permitted by the understanding of its citizens. So that the party and its leaders have to come down to the level of the understanding of the people they want and need to support them. And it is no good telling people about all that is wrong and need to be changed, pointing out the wrong doings and even listing the damages and losses resulting there-from to the detriment of the people; and after the same people listened and acted accordingly, then to turn and do the same things, or not do anything to reverse those wrongs or put proper systems in their places. Another popular tendency in our region, and especially in those parts where the party and its leaders have strong leftist or socialist beliefs and leanings – is the regular claim that the constitutions we inherited from the British as our Colonial masters, these need to be thrown away and invent new ones to demonstrate our Independence. What those who are Constantly making that claim are not openly admitting – although I feel sure they all know it is so – is that it is not the written Constitutions that are out-dated and over-bearing or whatever, but in the great majority of cases of the oppression of our people since Independence, the Culprits were not the British parliamentarians who handed down the written documents, but our very own Kith and Kin who took our people down the gutters of shame and scandals with bubul, corruptions, dishonesty in public office, graft and gross mis-use of the people’s monies and properties. You name it, they did it. It has to be admitted also, that in far too many of those same cases of politicians scandalous behavior while in office – a whole lot of the so-called supporters and hangers-on who got involved and stick around, they are only there for their personal benefits and for as long as they are benefitting. And the sadness of that discreditable and highly dis-honourable state of affairs – is that those shallow minded politicians seem to fail time and time again, in realizing that the yes-men and women and the party flag-bearers are only on board for filling their pockets – but when push comes around to shove, and principles and integrity are at stake, the boot is on the other foot. Whether or not that is what took place, in the scenario that unfolded in the St. Vincent situation – in the Referendum for a new Constitution to replace the old one inherited from England – I do not have sufficient information, nor knowledge of the on the ground happenings in that neck of the woods, to stick my own neck out one way or another. But the fact remains, that the majority of the people who matter – and who are in the positions to say yea or nay for making things happens that will be affecting their lives and their living conditions for decades down the road – they very positively and loudly said – “No way Doc”. And it was not because the St. Vincent Legal Doc did not get regional support from colleagues in the surrounding areas. Because our own Legal Dr. Francis Alexis Q.C., published a number of Articles explaining and expounding on the merits and virtues of some of the new measures proposed by Dr. Gonzalves. But the people who mattered, and who are facing the fire and therefore can feel the heat – they had other ideas and responded with a resounding – “NO”. While in the area of a Supermarket Car Park last week Friday – a concerned lady, who expressed her support for the powers-that-be in our own back yard here at home, approached me to share a few tit-bits on our situation in these Spice isles. She ask me to remind those in control that time is running out, and the promises they made over the years seem to be liming on the back-burners of their priorities. She commented that the rush to rename the Airport as the Maurice bishop International Airport (MBIA), seem to have been way out of context – among the other burning issues screaming out for urgent attention. My own position exactly. And she urged me to draw the controllers of our Public affairs attention to what happened in St. Vincent a few days before. I so do. Another lady stopped me the same evening, to share a news item she heard from a grapevine source – that the plan of those in control regarding taking action against those of the former Government, who have been accused of serious wrong-doings during their dealings with the public affairs of the people – is to delay that action until the last year or two, so that it would be on-going nearer the Next Election date. That lady felt inclined to believe that plan, because she could not understand why the deep silence on the matter by those in control. I had not heard the news item before, but I could well understand why it is giving cause for concern among the waiting supporters and well wishers of those in control. The feelings and frustrations among the masses are becoming more and more vocal – because the bread and butter issues are not being discussed or ventilated in the public forum. They are hearing about which Minister is somewhere overseas, most times after the person had been gone a day or two or on the way back – and very rarely about what is the importance of the trip for the people who struggle in Maran, or Soubise, or Mama Cannes to make ends meet and find the bus fares for children to attend School in St. George’s. I get stopped and questioned daily, because like others over the years I have been expressing my concerns, one way or another, about what was taking place by those in control at the time and the relevance to John Public. Politics is about the people and the people’s business and they have a right to know and or be told what is happening, or what is planned or proposed or in the pipe line on their behalf. The big surprises do have their place in the scheme of things as situations develop – but they also have their draw-backs, when kept so secretive that their failures give rise to all sorts of speculations and accusations, that could have been avoided if the relevant information had been shared along the way. It is a case of keeping people informed – and having dialogue so you know how they feeling. The complaints and concerns are coming out too fast and furious to be mere rabble-rousers trying to be funny or difficult – and the powers-that-be are duty bound to be listening and responding appropriately. Even the complaints by the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Keith Mitchell – about the failure to hold Finance Committee meetings, and the refusal of public servants to appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), when asked to do so by him as the Chairman thereof – these must be attended to and those responsible be made to answer for their short-comings. It was wrong when the same failures took place in the past, it cannot be right now. It is all very well to be taking part and even spear-heading groups like the Alliance Of Small Island States (AOSIS) of which our Prime Minister Thomas is the chairperson, on matters like Global warming and Climate change which can have serious effects on our small Caribbean Islands that are surrounded by water. As well as forming alliances with the bigger and more progressive States like Brazil and Portugal and south Africa, among others; and specially so when those alliances encompass the whole Caricom region – as a United body that will be speaking through one channel. But in these difficult economic times we are now experiencing at all levels – the trips and overseas meetings, and conferences that are taking Ministers to foreign lands ever so often, these have to be undertaken with keen eyes on the available funds – especially where the costs thereof are not sponsored by outside sources. Neither the Government nor any other responsible organization should be asking people to make sacrifices and suffer some losses to help others – when those asking are not seen to be practicing what they preaching. In the process of assessing what, if any, lessons can be learnt from the outcome of the Polls in the Grenadines, hard facts and statistics are very relevant – but appearances and perception from or by the little people on the street corners are also very, very important. By Lloyd Noel