Diaspora has vital role in SVG’s development

29.JUN.07

EDITOR: In response to your editorial of June 22, 2007 on the historic CARICOM’s Conference on the Caribbean, I must commend the way you captured the state of affairs between CARICOM governments and its Diaspora when you stated that “Our missions and embassies abroad often cannot see their role in mobilizing this precious resource as central to their work.”{{more}}

In the Vincentian case, this is despite the fact that our own Prime Minister Gonsalves who is also Chairman of CARICOM, promised in his Unity Labour Party (ULP) 2001 manifesto – Towards a Social Contract Between the Unity Labour Party and Civic Society – to highlight the vital role of Vincentians in the nation’s development …” What has happened and I speak from experience, the petit politics of the Vincentian government officials and its diplomatic corp. has stood in the way of tapping into that valuable resource to which you refer.

As a matter of fact, the Vincentian Diaspora has gained far more under the New Democratic Party (NDP) administration than it has under the Unity Labour Party. For instance, it was with the leadership and foresight of Ambassador Kingsley Layne of the SVG NDP administration and the Organisation of American States(OAS) that we now have in existence, the National Coalition Caribbean Affairs (NCOCA), the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS), and the Council of SVG Organisations (COSAGO). The main purpose of these organizations was to bring together CARICOM national organizations under one umbrella at national and regional levels. Apart from the ‘first’ of such gathering in Washington, DC, the modus operandi of this conference was the usual ‘reinventing the wheel’ and as some in the conference stated by the side lines … “Bin dey, dun dat … what’s new?”

To illustrate better the impediment of petit politics, take the consultation process of the SVG constitution reform as an example. COSAGO’s attempt to organize a committee for the purpose of ensuring the USA Vincentian Diaspora participation and to provide a comprehensive response to this the proposal was intercepted by Prime Minister Gonsalves on the basis that this organization “is NDP.” Few of us are surprised about this coming from a Prime Minister who called for “Together Now,” in his 2001 victory speech.

I sincerely hope that Prime Minister Gonsalves’ constant threat of lawsuits against Vincentian nationals will not prevent you from publishing this part of my article. If you are in doubt of this claim, just look at the lack luster response from the Diaspora to the constitution reform proposal.

The Vincentian Diaspora would be way ahead had we the luxury of mature

politicians and diplomats. I noted that Prime Minister Gonsalves, in his plenary speech at the conference made reference to the idea of maturity at least four times and one wonders how mature he, his government colleagues and civil servants have been. For instance and despite the rumour of wrangle between the Embassy and Consulate in New York, Ambassador Ellsworth John, a couple of years ago, coordinated and brought together North American Vincentians under the banner of “SVG Cultural Symposium” and with the theme “Building a Base.” That symposium was the second of its kind, was not as well attended but the quality surpassed any including the CARICOM’s Conference on the Caribbean. In attendance were those who ‘know and feel it’ and a number of practical recommendations on socio-economic and cultural development came from it.

To date, however, there has been little action and one wonders what excuse Ambassador John, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Prime Minister have for not acting. I believe “Imad” and “Poorsah” would have some explanation for us in “Politicks” and “Wey Do Dem.”

Even more lamentable is the fact that such lukewarm commitment to the Diaspora from our Embassy and government is typical of most of their counterparts in CARICOM.

Luzette King