EDITOR: From all appearances, we are becoming a country without a conscience, our very souls are now hardened to the point of indifference. But the price of indifference today is the end of freedom tomorrow; and that prospect is neither new nor novel to us.

As a people struggling to survive, during the period of internal self-government and moreso after the dawn of our so-called Independence, we had allowed ourselves to be fooled and tom-fooled by some of our political leaders, to the point where we created divisions within our own families, because of easily acquired monetary gains or high positions.{{more}}

During those periods of in-depth infringement of human rights and freedom, and gross maladministration in dealing with the business affairs of the people — because of the ill-gotten gains of a minority while the great majority kept quiet — our standards and long-standing principles of decent human behaviour hit rock bottom. We recovered somewhat, but we are heading back there again. But as the late Michael Manley, former Prime Minister of Jamaica, once said, “I assert that we cannot develop SVG until we learn to demand the highest levels of integrity from those occupying positions of trust.” And that statement is even more relevant, material, and absolutely necessary, in our SVG of today’s nearly complete breakdown of everything decent, and noble, and commendable, than it has ever been before. And those who are keeping quiet inside the channels of power madness, as well as those who are silent on the outside for one reason or another — they all would have to live with their conscience, and may even have to help pay the price.

The prime minister speaks about together now, how could there ever be reconciliation and genuine forgiveness when the only programmes that get headline publicity and are persisted with, are revengeful, vindictive and malicious, and are manufactured with no other motivation but to defame and castigate others, with no justification? The only consolation – amidst the on-going trials and tribulation – is that what goes around is surely bound to come around. And let them make no mistake about it — all may seem slow and steadfast, but the time to give account will surely come.

Ernesto Cooke