Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Our Readers' Opinions
October 7, 2011

The Banana Crisis – the lies, the bad and the good!

Fri, Oct 7. 2011

Editor: The present banana crisis, caused by shared negligence, disregard for the poor and voting herds and the low priority given to banana farmers and the poor in general by government, continues to bring out the ‘best’ in us.{{more}}

Editor, the fascinating part of this entire episode is the lies. The lies are transparent! The bad is good, and the good to come out of it is excellent! Just great!

The lies! It is indeed a huge lie to suggest that any public officer tried to sabotage! The issue is one of priority. Millions from the sale of the NCB and the other property of the bank went to the airport. Millions went to referendum – millions go towards all the representatives who lost their seats . Why are they priority? They are important in winning elections and keeping power! Not bananas! Shamefacedly, politicians blame public servants because they know that the public servants can’t respond! Good thing, though, sections of the print media are drilling holes in their lies, fabrication and deceptions! Thank you, Searchlight and The News!!!

Why are bananas and/farmers not a priority! You may then ask why? Answer – farmers and bananas not important – government has already secured their votes. Therefore, they have no real value until 2014/2015, and by then government would secure enough galvanise and lumber to purchase that vote again!

What’s bad in all of this is not just that bananas and farmers are under pressure! The domino effect could be increased crime, increased theft, slow down in trading generally, and, critically, an increase in the absence rate of students from rural schools, which can affect the teaching/ learning situation. Imagine a banana and plantain farmer with no other source of income having to support two children at school. Even if he is paid compensation of $400/$500 per acre, he will really struggle! That’s bad, but that’s also good!

This government is adored, glorified, praised, and worshiped more than how God is worshipped and loved! And what does it manifest? It suspends public servants and workers on half pay for doing their jobs well and what’s right, while those who steal and are involved in corruption are given full pay and promotion! It supports throwing the people’s representatives out of parliament. It says yes to criminals in the police force. It glorifies its top wigs who issue threats publicly. It wastes monies taking passengers/or tourists on trips with scarce government funds to Cuba, Europe, Asia and Africa. It pays retirees, big shots, and cronies all sorts of hefty packages and perks, while the nation is ‘brokes’, or so we are told. It leaves potholes in every main road, and feeder roads are impassible! It promised the farmers forthnightly payments for Tomas, and gave them one payment for elections, and another one in April, then blamed the April floods for inability to pay! Yet, the people, especially in the banana belt, worshipped, adored and glorified our prime minister and representative. Now the idols they worship and praise have failed them miserably! Yes! Blame Daniel, but ultimately, it is the Minister of Finance, and PM, who has failed the farmers. Yes! The new ‘real’ god in SVG has failed miserably! That is good! Why?

The failure of idols and tin gods will lead us to depend on the True and Living God! Why? Even if bananas go under, or the crisis persist, God will take care of us! He will provide for the farmers and their families, especially those who know Him personally! They will smile at the crisis! Then they will understand that we must have no other gods, but Jehovah! Love our politicians, greet them, clap them, pray for them, but do not reach the stage where we worship them to the point where we call all their wrongs right!

I know that these are end times, but this is gross negligence by those the people presently worship, which God has allowed for us to reflect, come to ourselves and return to him!

As bad as the situation appears to be, God is the greatest beneficiary. He will provide for His people and we will, hopefully, learn that relying on politicians (yellow or red) is like relying on broken sticks and standing on feet out of joints! In this crisis, men will use talk show listening time, and peddling of political mischief, and man worshipping to be drawn closer to God to get their daily bread, thus this crisis is really a good thing! A real blessing in disguise!

Otto Sam

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Mexico in turmoil  after cartel boss killed
    Regional / World
    Mexico in turmoil after cartel boss killed
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    Members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most powerful and feared criminal organisations in Mexico, have unleashed a wave of vi...
    New Board nominees under scrutiny
    Front Page
    New Board nominees under scrutiny
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    INFORMATION on the composition of the Boards of Statutory and Quasi- government bodies was released at the weekend in the public domain and has been d...
    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to attend CARICOM Heads Meeting
    Front Page
    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to attend CARICOM Heads Meeting
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    S SECRETARY of State Marco Rubio, will travel to St Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 to participate in the 50th Regular Meeting of the ...
    PM Dr Godwin Friday heads 7-member delegation to CARICOM Heads Meeting
    Press Release
    PM Dr Godwin Friday heads 7-member delegation to CARICOM Heads Meeting
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    THE STAGE IS SET for what has been billed as one of the most significant gatherings in Caribbean history- the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference o...
    John dominates in the All-Leeward Athletics Championship
    Front Page
    John dominates in the All-Leeward Athletics Championship
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    SENIOR LONG-DISTANCE athlete Kesiann John of Central Leeward Secondary School (CLSS) delivered an outstanding performance at the annual All-Leewards A...
    Gonsalves celebrates 32 years as representative for North Central Windward
    Front Page
    Gonsalves celebrates 32 years as representative for North Central Windward
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    FORMER PRIME MINISTER and Leader of the Opposition in St.Vincent and the Grenadines Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, on Saturday, February 21, 2026, celebrated 32...
    News
    HM Prisoners to launch book of Poetry and Prose
    News
    HM Prisoners to launch book of Poetry and Prose
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    HOBO JUNGLE PRESS will launch “Written: Poetry and Prose by Inmates of His Majesty’s Prisons, St. Vincent and the Grenadines” at the University of the...
    Minister welcomes plans to raise Age of Consent
    News
    Minister welcomes plans to raise Age of Consent
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    MINISTER OF FAMILY, Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities and Labour, Laverne Gibson-Velox, has commended the government’s commitment to increasin...
    East Kingstown MP promises to improve road at Dorsetshire Hill
    News
    East Kingstown MP promises to improve road at Dorsetshire Hill
    Webmaster 
    February 24, 2026
    MINISTER OF FOREIGN Affairs and Member of Parliament for East Kingstown, Fitzgerald Bramble, says long-standing issues with the roads in Dorsetshire H...
    Opposition Leader misled the people of North Central  Windward – Senator Neptune
    News
    Opposition Leader misled the people of North Central Windward – Senator Neptune
    Webmaster 
    February 20, 2026
    The candidate for the victorious New Democratic Party in the 2025 general elections, Chieftan Neptune has claimed Opposition Leader Dr. Ralph Gonsalve...
    Young men await sentencing following brawl in Kingstown
    News
    Young men await sentencing following brawl in Kingstown
    Webmaster 
    February 20, 2026
    Three teenagers and a 23-year-old who were charged following a violent brawl in Kingstown on Friday, February 13, 2026 appeared in court on Tuesday, F...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok