Should we wait on US before we do anything?

12.SEPT.08
EDITOR: In August 2001, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves made an official visit to Libya. Mr. Arnhim Eustace and his Opposition NDP criticized him. They said that Libya was a “terrorist country” and the visit would make America put pressure on St. Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}} Dr. Gonsalves replied basically saying that Libya wants to come out from the diplomatic cold and that only the money settlement issue over the blow-up of the Pan Am plane over Lockerbie is keeping American and Libya apart. At the time the whole of Europe had diplomatic and business relations with Libya, despite certain economic sanctions. Now, the American Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has gone to Libya to open up productive relations between USA and Libya. The “money issue” was settled nearly two years ago.

Fast forward to August 2008, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has established diplomatic relations with Iran. Foreign Minister Straker has visited that country as part of his role as a Vice President of the Non-Aligned Movement. Eustace and the NDP are signing their same old song again like in August 2001. The rest of the world, including Europe and the Vatican, has diplomatic and business relations with Iran. The USA, particularly the Bush Administration, has a problem with Iran over “the nuclear issue”. But even Bush’s diplomats are talking to Iran. And Barack Obama says that he would engage Iran even more.

So, the question is this: Must St. Vincent and the Grenadines wait until USA gives its okay before we do anything? If so, we would not have good relations with Cuba and Venezuela. St. Vincent and the Grenadines loves the USA, but we are not their puppets!

Mr. Eustace and the NDP are real backward. It’s things like these why people love the Comrade.

Louise Johnson