Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Editorial
October 11, 2011

The challenges of developing a multi-island state

Tue, Oct 11. 2011

The challenges of development in a small, multi-island developing country are enormous with implications for all facets of life. These are not always fully understood by the citizens of countries like ours, and the failure to grasp the enormity of the situation can often lead to grave misunderstanding, tensions, and, as in the case of Union Island in 1979, armed confrontation as well.{{more}}

The problem is intensified because we are all still trapped in the colonial legacy of the centre and the periphery, (in our case ‘mainland’ St. Vincent and the Grenadine islands), where the tendency has been towards centralisation, at the expense of rural and Grenadine development.

The multi-island nature of our state has its benefits in terms of diversity, but it also calls for a great deal of replication where services are concerned, often not justified economically, according to the number of persons thus served. Yet, all our people have the same basic rights and entitlements, and a citizen in Mayreau is as entitled to the same level of medical or other public services as one in Kingstown.

The challenges facing our state were highlighted last Friday, when a high-powered government delegation, led by the Prime Minister himself, took part in the official opening of several public facilities in Canouan. One issue which was brought into focus was the problem facing the people of that island in accessing secondary education for their children. It has been the cause of great expense and inconvenience for parents and has put students from the Grenadine islands as a whole, at a big disadvantage in comparison with students from the ‘mainland’.

There is a multi-million dollar secondary school in Union Island, but, according to reports, it is short-staffed and under-utilized, not being able to offer the full range of choices of subject areas. Canouan has an even smaller population, so a secondary school there probably cannot be justified based on economic feasibility. Yet there are fundamental issues of rights which must also be taken into consideration.

The existence of several separate islands as part of a national entity throws up transportation challenges as well. Canouan has a jet port and there are smaller airports in Bequia, Union Island and Mustique. These must be maintained, while upkeeping the main port of air entry, the E.T. Joshua airport at Arnos Vale, and struggling to construct an international airport at Argyle.

Then, there are the public services – clinics, primary schools, police stations, customs, immigration, magistrates courts etc – the provision of which to serve small populations in disparate islands increases the unit cost. But again, these are the services which, in their inadequate state, have led to charges of neglect, discrimination and denial of basic rights. We are truly caught between the proverbial “rock and a hard place”.

However, it is not only the fundamental issues of rights and equity that are involved; for, on the other hand, the Grenadines are a major source of national revenue via tourism services, and have tremendous marine potential and are a major marketing point for the multi-island state as a whole. They are also perhaps second only to the government where provision of employment opportunities is concerned.

For all these reasons and from an historical perspective, it is necessary that there be frank and open discussion of such challenges. The same can be said of the northern areas on ‘mainland’ St. Vincent.

It means revisiting our constitutional and administrative arrangements and, importantly, more widespread use of information communication technology, to make possible, the sharing of scarce resources, such as teachers. Honestly facing up to the facts, debating the options and finding creative solutions to our unique challenges will avoid unnecessary tensions and conflicts and should provide a consensual gel for our multi-island state.

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok