CATEGORY:COMMENTARY
-----------------------------

By Lloyd Noel (Attorney-at-law)



“ Carnival gone, CWC2007 to come - but something else has to be taking place in between, to take advantage of whatever benefits that expensive investment may bring.”





There can be little doubt that Carnival (spice mas) 2K6 generated widespread interest, in addition to its own kinds of peculiar landmarks and
differences. And now that it is over, the usual analysis - as well as the in-depth checks and balance, into the various aspects of the occasion that were put on trial in preparation for CWC2007 - would have to be very carefully dissected, to make sure that the valuable lessons coming out of the security trial runs, for example, are in fact and in reality what they are expected to be come March/April 2007.

The Security trial runs at the Airport were the most important aspects, because the bulk of the spectators for the games in Grenada would be coming
through the Airport. At the National Stadium which is being rebuilt by the Chinese, in exchange for the Government getting rid of the Taiwanese and
replacing them with the mainland Chinese - no security arrangements can be tested there, until the place is completed and handed over to the ICC.
But clearly the major security focus will be at the Stadium, and Surrounding Hillsides over-looking the re-designed facility at Queens Park in St. George’s.

Of course, the recently discovered and publicized Airlines Sabotage plot in England, will add to the security headaches as “D-day” draws closer to
CWC2007. And the powers-that-be, with responsibility for the safety of the many Thousands of visitors expected in the Caribbean for these grand
occasions - as well as the players and officials, the media personnel, and the business people associated with the occasion - they will have their jobs cut out and magnified a thousand times to cope.

But to reflect on Carnival itself - especially in the context of the downgraded economic situation facing the country as a whole - the spending,
both on costumes or fetes, was very low key. Maybe that state of affairs could be the excuse many would use, to justify the very wide reliance the great majority placed on “Playing Mas” - by simply dirtying their bodies with old engine oil, and anything that made them look “Blacker than black”.

In addition to the very dirty surroundings left by those thousands of “Jab-jabs”, whose near-naked bodies only had to rush against a building or
wall to leave costly re-painting damages - the whole concept of “Jour-overt and old Mas”, and our Cultural heritage of invention, to depict our annual
Carnival Street parades and fun-filled jump-ups, were all missing this time around.

Ironically, the recent night-time phenomenon of “Monday Night Mas”, was far more colorful and innovative than the day-time activities -at least in the Fishing Capital of Gouyave, and the “Fish Friday Festival” community that is now well known for its fun and frolic every Friday night - but that is not
Carnival, in my opinion.

If our traditional “August festival”, that once always attracted huge numbers of visitors, and nationals coming home to join in the peaceful
jump-up, is to maintain its attraction and foreign currency earnings for the future; then some urgent and very serious remedial measures have to be
undertaken, by our Carnival and Cultural and Hospitality Organizations, to turn back this degenerating trend.

And talking about “peaceful jump-up”, the reports coming out of St. George’s on Carnival Monday especially - were more like clashes between
“Israelis and Hezbollahs” in on-going gang feuds, than peaceful Jour-ouvert frolic. This gang violence “thing” is getting out of hand, and steps must be taken with serious urgency to nip it in the bud, before it becomes the in-thing.Violence and disruptive confrontation in any form, and in any locality, for whatever reason - can and will have the same dis-enchanting effect and fear-full response on visitors - no matter what is the game being played, in the East or the West.

A special Squad, by whatever name and made up of Police, and Social Workers, and Spiritual Personnel, - and including a fair number of youths, males and females - must be put together to tackle this rising menace.To-day is already very late - tomorrow maybe too late. And while such a group is working steadfastly to stem the spread of this menace, funds must be found to build a “Correctional Center” - to house and rehabilitate those who slip through the preventative net and get into trouble, from the earliest teens to Twenty-one.

If it is true, as many are always boasting in public statements - that the youths of today are our nation’s major investment for tomorrow, then we
have to put our resources where our mouths are always taking liberties. Carnival stole the limelight in these isles for the past two weeks, but now that “Spice Mas 2k6" is over, we have to come back down to earth and face the ever present problems - because the musical interlude, whether from soca, calypso, or the groovy sounds that have now become part and parcel of our competitions, are all memories until next year D.V.

In the Middle East, we heard of an un-easy truce that has managed to stop the bloodbath - at least for the time being. If the viewpoint of Mr. Newt
Gingrich - former U.S.A. Presidential Candidate and member of the Congress - is anything to go by, then the stoppage is only a period for re-grouping,
and re-stocking Missiles and Arms for the in-evitable onslaught, that is only a matter of sooner or later.

Next-door in Trinidad and Tobago the process is on going, to get the matter of the Chief Justice versus the Executive to London for hearing before the
Privy Council. However that stage of the impasse is played out, the damage to the trust and confidence our own people in the region should have in an independent judiciary, will remain to haunt us for years. But how it will impact on the “struggling-to-get-off-the-ground CCJ,” only time will tell; but as a writer to Caribbean net news opined, unless a compromise is achieved - the CCJ could end up further dividing rather than uniting the Region.

Fortunately, both the CSME and the CCJ, from the viewpoint of where do they go from hereon, will be taking a back seat as we count down to CWC2007.
This Mega-event, which is due in the Caribbean for March/April next year, continues to encompass the entire region’s economic, social and security
attention - and as the count down to “D-day” draws closer, I have no doubts that the tension, and concerns, and anxieties, would also become more
pronounced in the nine venue areas especially.

And precisely because it is such a world-wide-interest event, - since the Organizers have disclosed, that there are applications for Tickets from many more Countries World-wide, than ever before for any Cricket World Cup - it
also must mean, that we in the region (Governments and people) are subject to, and have to be prepared for, any and all fallouts or backlash from
wherever.

But against that very obvious need and attention, we have also to focus on visitors every need and well being - to ensure that not only the Cricket
Match venues are first class, but the welcome and safety, and other Tourist-oriented facilities, are also top notch - to entice those visitors
to come back again, long after the Cricket crowds have all gone back to their respective Countries.

Having said all that, however, the hard facts and the reality still remain - that in the Economic situation facing our own Spice Isles, after the grave financial devastation from “Ivan and Emily” in the last two years - the expenditure and almost total concentration being accorded to CWC2007, are
clearly dis-proportionate when considered alongside the dire needs of the community as a whole.

And when looked at in the context of the plight of our Thousands of un-employed young folks, and the Social disruptions and Criminal activities
emanating from that particular section of the population - it becomes even more crucial, that the gross imbalance needs to be addressed with the
greatest urgency.

In analyzing situations, and assessing priorities to determine where and when resources should or must be allocated, and speedily implemented to achieve the desired effects - regard and very in-depth consideration, must be placed on the long term effects that can result to the human beings in
the society.

To do nothing, or very little, to address the burning needs of those thousands crying out for urgent help - while putting everything in the
single basket of CWC2007 -can very well produce a nice-looking Stadium, three new bridges and approaching roads to the match venue, and expanded
Airport facilities for the occasion. But in the process of so doing - the neglect of the other sectors, and in particular the human aspects of hope and aspiration to prepare the men and
women of tomorrow, could be so devastating that the material development would become meaningless.

Some balance must be found, or created, to stem the downward trend in the valuation of our human resources. The need is so urgent that it cannot wait
on the outcome of CWC2007; and in any case, it must be very obvious that rewards or benefits, flowing from that event next year, will take some
considerable time to materialize and begin to bear fruits. The alternative sacrifices must therefore be made now, to be able to bridge the gap while waiting for the anticipated economic windfall to become a reality - if it ever does.

The results of those CXC and CAPE exams will be out by this weekend, and thousands more will be in the un-employment line seeking non-existent jobs.
What is worse is that the parents of those who wish to attend college cannot afford to send them - because they too are on the bread line. It is a
vicious and degrading state of affairs, and must be addressed with urgency.We cannot, and must not, be putting all our energies and resources in that
one event next year.

Whether it turns out to be the best Cricket World Cup ever; and the greatest number of Visitors come to our shores for the occasion; and we manage to provide every visitor with a bed and meals for the period of their stay; and the security arrangements in fact keep the violence away from the Caribbean; and all the match venues end up with spanking new stadiums, or renovated facilities with or without additional debts to pay back - we would still have failed our struggling Millions in the region, and thousands here at home, if we did not provide some measure of escape or upliftment from the Economic pressure now suffocating them.

People, in one sense, are like plants and crops. They cannot be handed a basket of Fish on one occasion to last for ever, just like the seeds sown to-day cannot produce Fruits tomorrow if they are not nurtured, and fertilized, and taken care of from the outset - they will not be able to produce at the end of the day when the harvest is due.

Carnival gone, CWC2007 to come - but something else has to be taking place in between, to take advantage of whatever benefits that expensive investment
may bring.