To enjoy National Independence, we have to carve out our free space between the powers that surround and want to subjugate us. Watch the skill of the batsman/batswoman finding space between the 11 persons in the field to keep the scoreboard moving on. National freedom, or sovereign nationhood is like that; it comes from a team strategy both at the wicket, and in the field. It is not the output of a hero champion with the citizens watching on in the stadium.{{more}} Independence is rather the strategic execution of a class policy, a collaboration among patriotic Vincentian social strata, with clear goals in mind. Just a look at the central Independence celebration at Victoria Park makes you feel that the ‘military’ is the exemplar of our nation’s strength, and the ruling party chief, our Prime Minister, is the standard bearer of our unity and sovereignty. But do these two forces really carve out our free space between the forces that want us as their footstool?

A CLASS SELECTION

National independence is a product in process, not a gift. In the world of 2016, small nations take stock of the resources they have, they add value to them, then deploy them in order to reach their goals. We do the same thing as individuals. As a nation, however, it is a more complex undertaking, but we start with appreciating our own assets, we analyse our global environmental resources critically, and plan and apply the strategy that is appropriate to expand our sovereign nationhood.