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By Lloyd Noel

As we come to the 7th February, which marks the so-called celebration of thirty-eight years since we severed the bond of colonialism from Great Britain and became an independent state, in looking back over those years from February 1974 to date, it seems to me that the happenings and the history over that period are far more disheartening, and distressing, and disappointing than deserving of celebration.

Lloyd Noel is a former attorney general of Grenada, prominent attorney at law and political commentator

And that is so because almost during the entire period there has been more conflict, and confusion, and political bacchanal and backstabbing than anything of great value and dignity we can be proud of.

It has been said many times before but it is worth repeating – that we cannot even hope to develop our Tri-Island State, until and unless we learn to demand the highest levels of integrity from those occupying positions of trust.

And those who offered themselves as leaders, and succeeded in gaining the positions, could not have created better attitudes and standards in the people when they themselves only relied on preaching at people – but without the corresponding action to support the mere words they were uttering.

Over the decades since that red-letter day in February 1974, we seemed to have nearly always ended up with a government that was more concerned with holding power than upholding principles; and in every such cases when a change is made, the newcomers almost have to start from scratch as it were, rather than continue the process of good governance.

And even when we had a change of government by the historic armed revolution of March 13, 1979, and which was very popular among the people generally – because of the outlandish behaviour and physical brutality by the Gairy regime in those days -- we not very long afterwards ended up with a serious counter-revolution that produced very dire consequences.

So having sampled a wide variety of different models that can be classified as good, bad and indifferent, by the way those involved behaved or performed during their occupation of the seats of power in those thirty-eight years, we seem to be on the verge of bringing about another political upheaval, because the current occupiers whom the people trusted to effect very needy changes and remedial measures have failed to do so and thereby let the people down.

The ex-Minister Gilbert fiasco, which brought about his dismissal from the Cabinet, now seems to be the last straw that broke the camel’s (NDC) back – and I do not see the possibility of that damage being healed, in the eighteen months remaining of the current term in office.

And to make the bad matters even worse -- if that is at all possible – anytime anyone of the players puts out a statement, or discloses any document dealing with the Gilbert issue, it only adds oil to the burning fire.

And as for the statements coming from the ex-minister himself -- according to the news reports – they are only making the deplorable relationships already existing even worse, if that is at all possible. And in addition thereto, the behaviour and the appearances of a few colleagues in certain places, as well as the non-appearance of others where they should be present – that pattern of movements speak for themselves.

When all these and all those are taken together, it is my humble opinion that the existing situation, and the ongoing state of affairs as far as the responsibility of the NDC party, for the control of the government of our Tri-Island State is concerned, is very clearly not in the interest of our people.

And it goes without my having to say so that the good and welfare of our people, whatever their political affiliations maybe, are of far greater importance and deserving of being protected and safeguarded than the dog-eat-dog bacchanal and disharmony taking place within the ruling party, as the factions vie for power.

And because the pundits have been saying all along, and from the very beginning of the political marriage of convenience that the leftist socialists were merely using the genuine democrats, like the very prime minister himself, to get to the pinnacle of the political ladder to control the reins of state power, the people should have been far more cautious and selective about whom they trusted and resolved to lay their confidence in – as they struggled and re-doubled their efforts to bring our people that closer to the promised land.

But then again, the political arena is never a very level playing field, so what you are expecting, as opposed to what you actually achieve, can be light years apart – and that is how the cookie crumbles.

But we have traveled through all manner of political upheavals over the years, since independence in 1974, and here we are again facing another situation that no one, or group, seems able to come out of with flying colours that would benefit the people; and no matter which party eventually emerges as winners, nor who are the persons making up the majority that would take over control of the state machinery, at the end of the day it must always be the good and welfare, and the benefits for our people that emerge as paramount in the national interest.

So many different stories are making the rounds that it is very difficult to pick out anyone as the most credible and acceptable.

But what stands out in them all, seems to me to be mainly concerned with the individual, or the small group personal standing in the party.

And nowhere have I seen either of them advancing any positions about the development project that would have benefited our people.

And interestingly enough – while all this comess is taking place within the party in power, and the same happening over and about a major development that would have included a casino gambling operation in the proposed hotel -- out of the blue and very timely it would seem, up comes the islander hotel developer, who had started the Pandy Beach and Lagoon Road Yacht Services Project, in the days of the NNP Administration under Dr Keith Mitchell.

And in the build-up to the starting of the development in the Old Butler House site, I am hearing talk about a high class casino on the hill top.

All co-incidence or strategic planning to aid the return of old pals – with whom a whole lot of “business deals” had taken place in the good old days.

Time will surely tell, as the development unfolds and unemployed strugglers begin to get employment and earn a living wage.

However it may all turn out, it is the kind of development our people need to provide employment, and our tourist visitors would welcome when they came calling to our shores.

Even the existing national lottery gambling activities will no doubt also benefit because the more money the little people can earn, the more they would indulge in their favourite pass time to try and win a little more – and by so doing add more dollars to the national development that the NLA is daily boasting about.

From all appearances this New Year promises to bring about a lot of changes, and we can only hope that, whatever they may be, enough of the benefits would redound to our people in need.

My wish is for a peaceful and enjoyable thirty-eighth Independence Anniversary to all – and sincere hope that some economic relief would come to our needy and struggling thousands, very much sooner than later.

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Anonymous:
Past history has indicated that PEOPLE OF COLOUR do not have the ability to GOVERN OR RULE. Our past and present leaders have really failed us time and time again and again. It's high time you let this sink into your skull and we move to another choice, I say another RACE maybe the WHITE MAN probably a CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN or an ENGLISHMAN or one of each. It is true that since 1974 and the dawn of Grenada's so called independence we were marked by not only as you have indicated and I have added conflict, confusion, hostility, corruption, bribery offshore bank schemes, theft, conflict of interest trickery, treachery, lies, deceit and more backstabbing than anything of great value and dignity that one can think and be proud of. Does this not indicate what's taking place here? We have stopped hanging. Murderers, killers and dope dealers are sent to jail for a mere 4 years or less for committing serious offences and we wonder why these happenings are occurring. Other countries/nations are no longer interested in visiting Grenada when there are far more desirable places to go where one can be reasonably safe, not only from the people, but abusive law enforcement as well, and we wonder why it is so. We no longer have the moral discipline we used to have before. Imagine what will happen regarding prostitution and crime for our youth who are already in such a deplorable state. Lord have mercy on us. Unless we change our attitudes and course of action, we are doomed.

Grenville:
Wha you talking bout we doomed? We dead. Grenada dead. Pretty soon no one coming here to visit wid all this crime and we cannot blame dem. Dats de last place on earth they want to see. Haiti better than us now you kno..Dey exporting mango. We doe even kno how to do dat, we so lazy