SVG arising from the ashes embracing fresh hope

EDITOR: Please permit me if you will to crave your attention in a little conversation on this timely issue of “Fresh hope”, in a time of respair. However, the Webster New English dictionary defines hope as, “A feeling that what is wanted will happen”. The object of this is a person or thing on which one may base some hope, hope fulfilled with hope, inspiring hope or promise of success, a person who hopes to or look likely to be a success.

I have not yet read the new book by our PM on “Time of Respair”, however, once again he is right on the money, with absolutely no doubt in my mind. However, though this concept of fresh hope can be realized and attained by overcoming the many spirits of negativity and repressions, I am hoping that most right-thinking Vincentians will buy into this new idea and be inspired enough to embrace a new thinking, attitude, and mindset and be resolved in their minds to lift S.V.G higher to a new level of consciousness and development, which to my mind is very critical in ensuring success, inculcating a positive mental attitude towards nation building, and have seen the great wisdom in maintaining one government in office for the past two decades; and for that, hats off to our Vincentian people, congratulations are in order.

There is no doubt in my mind that the people of S.V.G are rising out of the volcanic ash of 1979 eruptions, and now are faced with even more greater challenges arising out of the April 2021 eruption of La Soufriere, but ‘what’er the future brings our faith will see us through.”

Notwithstanding, however, I remember that in the 1979 eruptions, thousands of people were displaced, and the hopes, dreams and aspirations of many were shattered. No doubt that most Vincentians at home and abroad were praying and hoping for real meaningful solutions, a new path, visioning leadership with a sense of purpose, a new development plan, a road map as it were to recovery and new development going forward.

Nonetheless, though, after five years of our independence, the S.V.G Labour party led by the great visionary Robert Milton Cato was voted out of office by 1984, a forward election that did not give the true reflection of the will of the people, please let me explain. It is my opinion however that the election results of 1984 General Elections “did not reflect the will of the Vincentian people.” Firstly, the leadership of the NDP and SCL foreign company used what is called mind bending methods and techniques in the election campaigns of 1884, to what I consider to be gross deception and very oppressive way of rising to power and rule by messing with minds of the very people they set out to lead and govern, yet , still today some people are still wondering as to why S.V.G went through 17 years of under development. In that same period, S.V.G became one of the poorest countries in the southern Caribbean second to Haiti. S.V.G had “green gold” then. Nonetheless it is a very dangerous practice to mess with the minds of any people, to change one’s true perception of reality in that he or she will not accept the truth or the facts even when it’s right there in their faces.

In 1984 the N.D.P was very successful in making the Vincentian people believe that the recovery of the volcanic eruptions of La Soufriere in 1979 and the major challenges SVG was encountering recovering was to be blamed on the SVG Labour Party and got the Vincentian people to buy into their deception.

Notwithstanding however, it took the Vincentian people 17 years to finally realize that some things were fundamentally wrong and a change was of great importance to their survival and development and in the year 2001 breaking free from the mental shackles of twisted perception of reality imposed on them unsuspectingly by the N.D.P and S.C.L in 1984, power by any means necessary. My greatest hope is that our Vincentian people will remember never to forget if something is not broken, never try to fix it. And speaking of broken, the late great visionary, the Hon Milton Cato must have died with a very broken heart that his beloved Vincentian people fell for the deception of the N.D.P and S.C.L. and was voted out of office in 1984.

The sad state of affairs is that some people are still caught in the mindset of twisted perceptions and reality, in that they are at a profound loss wondering as to why there has not been a political change in S.V.G since 2001? And from where I stand no political change is forth-coming any time soon. That is the reality, well I guess not for those whose perception of reality is so bended, and at the same time being nice about it, as in very hot pursuit.

In conclusion however, it is in my hope and burning desire that all right thinking Vincentian will continue to buy into this vision of “fresh hope” which will eventually lift our level of consciousness, inculcate in us a new and positive mental attitude in motion building and development, be so inspired with a new mindset, a true sense of purpose arising out of the ashes in 1979 and the recent volcanic eruptions of la Soufriere in 2021. And as the late Bob Marley reminds us to “emancipate ourselves from mental slavery none but ourselves can free our minds.”

I therefore call on all Vincentian people here at home, and abroad to embrace “fresh hope” in a time of respair.

Cleave Francis