Our Readers' Opinions
May 14, 2004
No weeping Willies here

EDITOR: No question about it – just about every other person in St. Vincent and the Grenadines knows now that at every point on the compass we are looking at very serious problems stark in the face. Yet with all of that, we have chosen the escape hatch to justify doing nothing.{{more}}
Single Market and Economy, globalisation, W.T.O., NAFTA, terrorism, money laundering – all we had no hand in. Yet we spend incalculably long man-hours squandering away time seeking a solution to a crisis from which we cannot benefit. The bottom line is, as nations continue to plot their economic path with success, expansionism is inevitable.
Bordering on 25 years since the Union Jack was no more, we have been calling that event Independence. Well, it was what Vincentians clamoured for and that was in fact what we got. What we are left with is a nation in which the vast majority of its citizenry from every sector (save alone none) see the Government as a dollar bill. Disgruntled, with not enough or none at all – changes are in the offing.
Changes are always welcome as long as they are for the good and welfare of the country. Unfortunately, the thinking of too large a percentage of Vincentians along those lines are as far away as eternity. Indeed, urgent changes are needed; it must come from the heart of every Vincentian. No one is free until everyone is free. Terminating a life is a deprivation of freedom. Equally, too, the externalities between rich and poor must be of comfort to no one. Having said all of that, the extent to which so many young Vincentians, and in particular females, in their quest to get rich quick pose many unanswered questions including our pointing fingers at the very children whom we have deprived of leadership. A way has to be found, as a word to the wise.
Implicit in all of this is our capitulating to this new “so called” world order’s demands. The rate of acceleration and quantity of those demands are enough to tell us that, contrary to our own popular beliefs, the developed countries need us a hell of a lot more than we need them.
We need to pull the plug on that syndrome and start the process regardless of the cost. One day longer is one day too long!

Stanley M Quammie