Rice’s fixation and other Issues

Is SVG forgotten?

A couple years ago while following the weather channel to view the progress of a hurricane that was threatening the Windward Islands I was shocked to see that the name St.Vincent and the Grenadines was listed where St. Lucia should have been and vice versa.

Later while listening by radio when the name St. Lucia or St.Vincent was mentioned I was not sure which of them was being threatened. This is the problem with countries that often appear as mere dots on these maps. But this is not even the issue for smaller Caribbean countries were correctly identified. {{more}}

That too, is not the end of my concern. I look at the news, weather and sports programme from the Caribbean Media Corporation’s daily newscast. It has never been clear to me why information about the temperatures of all the capitals of the Caribbean countries are mentioned with the exception of St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

As if that was not enough I recently picked up a copy of Cable & Wireless’ Hurricane Guide 2005 and was shocked to see that all the Caribbean countries were identified on the map provided, minus St.Vincent and the Grenadines. It is difficult to really believe that Cable and Wireless operates in St.Vincent and the Grenadines. What is really the problem?

Rice and Castro

The BBC recently carried an item captioned “US bid to speed up Castro exit.” Certainly, these people would never learn. And they ask why people hate America! What has annoyed me most of all is that the person who is behind it is that black woman, the American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Just imagine! According to the news item she ‘has created a new post which she says will help accelerate the demise of Fidel Castro’s government in Cuba.’ The post created is described as Cuba transition coordinator. Our dear black friend is quoted as saying: “For nearly 50 years the regime of Fidel Castro has condemned the people of Cuba to a tragic fate of repression and poverty… To direct our government’s actions in support of a free Cuba, I’m appointing Caleb McCarry to serve as our Cuba transition coordinator.’

This Rice lady is so deeply concerned about the fate of the Cuban people, presumably in the same way her administration is so concerned about the fate of the Iraqi people, that it allows so many of them to die. It is time that our people begin to speak out some more about this.

Cuba provides us with much more than our big godfather is prepared to. His interest and concern for us died with what they described as the collapse of Communism. Cuba they once said was a threat to the security of America. Now that they could no longer convince anyone about that they are focusing more and more on the fate of those poor, depressed Cubans. After all, there are no poor, depressed people in America.

So concerned is Ms. Rice about the Cuban people she is giving the new office a budget of about US$60 million. While she does that Cuba is providing our people with free health services and scholarships. Should we continue to be silent with this absurdity and arrogance!

We often generalize and become very critical of America, but much of this should be leveled at the political administration even when admittedly it is the American people who vote them into office.

I was heartened by recent statements made by Jimmy Carter about the treatment of US-held prisoners at the Guantanamo Naval base in Cuba. Carter is annoyed with the abuses of prisoners there and indicated in an address to the Baptist World Alliances centenary conference in England that it ‘does not represent the will of the American people and I am embarrassed about it.’

In reference to persons detained without charges and with no access to lawyers, he said, “I think it is wrong. I think it does give terrorists an unwarranted excuse to use the despicable means to hurt innocent people.” What double standards!

Let them start their world crusade by releasing the detainees that are held without charges. The evidence also points to torture and other forms of abuse. This is where our friend Rice should focus her attention.

1940 Cross Country Issue

I publish here without comment a speech made by Administrator Bain Gray to the Legislative Council on December 1940. It has to do with a cross-country road and makes interesting reading. Hopefully it would force us to think again.

“As members are aware, a reconnaissance survey was carried out by the Crown Surveyor and the Agricultural Superintendent with a view to examining the question of constructing a road across the island from Cumberland to Three Rivers and so opening up an additional area for cultivation. This survey was undertaken as a result of a report made by J. B Kernahan in 1904 in which he had referred to areas in this district which were apparently suitable for cultivation.

The result of the present survey has been unfavourable to this proposal for the reasons which are stated in the report. The officers who carried out the survey have advised against any attempt to cultivate any part of the main valley, as they are of the opinion that it should be left as a forest reserve.

Cultivation would lead to serious damage to the water supplies in the area with no compensating gain to the economy of the Colony, for the land would soon become a liability to the owners or tenants.

The officers also reported that a road could be built connecting the Windward and the Leeward side of the island through this valley, but at a great cost and with considerable difficulty.

Not only would the cost of construction be high, but the cost of maintenance would be high also.

It seems, therefore, that this project in which we were all naturally interested must be put aside.”