EDITOR: Given the state of our country today where there are so many areas in which the prevailing conditions seem to be distinctly averse to the development and maintenance of systems oriented towards the dependable service to citizens, allowing them function with confidence while being productively engaged, under the overarching umbrella of Peace and Justice. It is quite evident that a correction is urgently needed!

If we were to take a critical and dispassionate look at happenings in our country since 1951, we will not have much difficulty coming to the conclusion, that our local administrators did not do a good job.

They were no doubt respected in the society, exuded a persona of self-confidence, recognized as intellectuals, but they had had no distinct counselling in the management of a young democracy. They were not distinctly development – oriented and the predominant focus was on asserting the power vested in the offices they held. That failing has been vested in the offices the held. That failing has been well documented in the responses to the TEACHERS STRIKE IN 1975 and the recent demonstration of few months when heavily armed policemen were deployed. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right in democracies!

Our administrators have for some time now been endeavouring to convince us, that our development had been crippled by the British who left us with nothing with which to improve our lives but the evidence of wastage and neglect are distinct and there are soft whisperings that there may be several Vincentian operatives who have prospered to the degree of having millions of dollars secured overseas.

Testimony of this reason to Hope is found in a story in the SEARCHLIGHT newspaper of November 3, 2023 on the back page. The beautiful story written Robertson S Henry tells of the scholastic achievements of two intelligent, strong and committed young men who are honourably focussed. They are SOLOMON BASCOMBE and LUKE WILSON. From the mound on which I sit, I seem to see in these young gentlemen, representatives of a cadre of young Vincentians, whose efforts will extricate us from the cloud of blight which has overwhelmed us over the last several decades. Salutations to the young men and their families!

LeRoy Providence