The Plight of the People of the Grenadines

EDITOR: We have been battered, bruised, beaten, raped and robbed. In the seventh month after hurricane Beryl, it appears that we have been abandoned by many, including the telephone companies. Their lines still litter our streets.

Regular services have not been restored. My two postpaid accounts have been barred. Apparently, they are charging the people of the Grenadines roaming fees. One customer reports a bill of $10,000. They say that our phones are connecting to the Grenada network. The companies are treating us like a foreigner. This is a technical problem that the companies should be able to fix. The regulatory body seems oblivious to the situation. Who is speaking on our behalf? The workmen putting back on the roofs in the rebuilding process need temporary power from Vinlec. The generators are expensive to run and the battery powered tools are depleted often. Boats hired to bring in materials come in half empty and leave Kingstown too early for cargo loading. The boat pass system needs to be efficient.

While the people of Union Island have always been independent minded, they have always treasured relations with the other surrounding islands. We crave acceptance from mainland St. Vincent, but it appears that we are being cast aside in so many instances. We do not want to be second class citizens.

For security, we need the same 5% of policemen living in our community and also permanent police presence. The current arrangement of visiting police does not serve us well. Our people need a reliable public water supply just like the rest of the country. In the age of the Education Revolution, our students need equal access to training even if it is via the internet. When fees and taxes are collected, the information should be transmitted so that it is reflected in the books of central government. Apparently, there is no desire to correct this because it results in double taxation. The old post office at Clifton housed many original documents which were lost when an arsonist burned it down. Our Smart Celinia Clouden hospital needs adequate equipment for emergency treatment necessary to determine whether further treatment is needed at Milton Cato Memorial. Our roads, like most in the country, need urgent repairs. Care and maintenance of our beaches should be a priority because they are the main attraction for our Tourism product. With such a large rebuilding budget, our playing fields and parks should be maintained. Animals on the loose are destroying our cultivation and vegetation and are bad for food security. Any decent government would order owners to keep their animals under control.

Has there been much change since the Grenadines Declaration? If we were not an independent people with a rich heritage, some of us might consider putting ourselves up for sale seeing that some rich nations with the trump card are seeking new lands to purchase or conquer.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD