Wake up to the real world

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has made his public report on the outcome of his recent visit to Taiwan. This visit, his sixth to that country, was, more than all the others, the subject of speculation by the Opposition on matters relating to the continuance of heavy Taiwanese funding for development projects in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and about the Argyle International Airport Project in particular. The Prime Minister has answered in unequivocal terms.{{more}}

First, he explained that the change of government in Taiwan has not in any way impacted on SVG-Taiwan relations. In fact it is the current governing party which first established relations with our country, relations that were strengthened and developed by its successor. So the continuation of development projects in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been reconfirmed and captured in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Further, the Vincentian leader was successful in obtaining Taiwanese commitment of assistance for the International Airport to cover expected increases in costs of raw materials.

The Taiwan visit once again demonstrates the importance of the link between a positive, proactive foreign policy and economic and social development. The most tangible manifestation of this is the Argyle International Airport project where a number of countries of differing political systems and outlooks are co-operating in making the project possible. Mexico and Cuba are both leading Latin American nations with long-standing economic and diplomatic ties, but they have had public political differences. Yet both are co-operating. Venezuela’s government has a different political outlook to that of the government of Taiwan, yet both are a board with the airport.

This garnering of broad varying political interests is not just important for our development thrust; it is a vital necessity. These are most challenging times for small countries like ours. Indeed our survival and continued economic and social development depends on such relations. While we are more familiar with steeply rising prices for fuel, basic commodities and essential services, we are not always aware of how far changes in the international economy and climate are impacting on our lives. Our understanding of these issues needs to be sharpened.

Even as our P.M was in Taiwan, trade officials from major and minor countries in the world were meeting in Geneva to try to hammer out a framework to govern international trade. The heavyweights of the world-the USA, European Union, China, India, Brazil, Australia-continued to spar over what that framework should look like, each trying to secure their national interests. Sacrificial lambs were also being put forward for slaughter, our banana trade being one of them. I shall comment more fully on this next week, but it is raised here in order to let our people know that the red lights are flashing.

Yet we do not behave as though that is the case. Even if we succeed in getting a favourable deal for our bananas, our future is far from assured. We just cannot continue to go on as we are, ignoring realities and behaving as though the rest of the world owes us a living. Our attitudes to work, to production, to development, to politics, to each other, must undergo radical change to prepare us for the rapidly changing world in which we live.

Take our foreign relations for instance. Our attitudes to our biggest benefactors do not reflect their contributions to our national development. Not even most of our Cuban-trained professionals can find time for demonstrating solidarity with Cuba, even though Cuba has given them a profession, a degree worth tens of thousands of dollars, a second language and valuable international experience, all free of cost. We listen to those who vilify President Chavez and make disparaging remarks about the “Chinees” (Taiwanese). Is this how we repay gratitude? Is respect, warmth and solidarity too much to ask of us?

Whether in politics, business, sport, culture or everyday life, we need to wake up and prepare and equip ourselves for life in this changing world. The days of the freebies are over; it will be our hard work, ingenuity and creativity on which we will have to depend to see us through.

Renwick Rose is a community activist and social commentator.