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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 SAINT LUCIA - Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, how cool is that? Or is it easier not to make a decision, to better choices? Meanwhile, Saint Lucians are on the hook to pay for numerous misdeeds that have surrendered the economic dead.
Fortunately, either way you look, there is another way forward. The Lucian People’s Movement (LPM) has the real option to change the political and economic viability on the issues of importance to all Saint Lucians, including promoting jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.
This is a significant contrast to the game that bad governments like the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) and political corruption from fringe elements of the previous government that, when combined, is reaping havoc on the people of Saint Lucia in a stone cold, unapologetic manner.
But, this won’t last for much longer.
It is no exaggeration that the next general election in Saint Lucia, in accordance with the constitution due in 2016, will be a whole new ballgame. It will be a challenge and an opportunity that puts all 17 constituencies, plus the four new constituencies, totaling 21, that are under consideration by the Constituency Boundaries and Electoral Commissions.
It will be a challenge and an opportunity for every Saint Lucian, not just for a change of face, but for a change of agenda from political corruption, institutional corruption, and a chance to look into the future with a new crystal ball towards a new dispensation.
In conversation with people about making better choices than expecting miracles, the exchange most often explains the worry of the proponents of big government, the regulators, and the dependency fanatics that derail accurate information necessary to achieve behavioural change and a different mindset. But instead, thrive on political and institutional corruption to take strategic advantage of the limited resources of state, in a false attempt to solve the many structural and socio-economic problems of Saint Lucia.
This is evident, as the promises made on paper and in the blueprint for growth by the SLP, have proven to be loose-fitting and fragile, thus exposing further issues of trust and competence. And while the lack of concern for dignity may be a case of flawed or misguided decisions that seem to appease the mendacity of elected officials in the parliament of Saint Lucia and, as stated in the LPM call for government to end diversionary political tactics in the Guy Joseph affair, it is clear that the people’s trust has been squandered and credibility thrown out the widow.
As well as the structures of government that have the obligation to design and to execute policies to assist the common man; and to act in the best interest of the state is now blurred. And it seems acting on the narrow choices propagated by stage-managed surrogates, and proxies for family interests, special interests and monopoly deals that fund incumbents’ campaigns.
Further, irrespective of the explanation for payment certificates or whatever type of paper transaction or exchange that did not result in money changing hands according to Guy Joseph; history has proven that the truth was quick to come out after the 2008-2009 financial crisis worldwide, when debt paper became guaranteed certificates of future bankruptcy. And so, without hesitation, these circumstances took away large sums of capital, changed the lives of the present and future generations, regardless of circumstances or location.
Yet, the government of Saint Lucia finds great difficulty in invoking the arm of the law to deal with “criminal acts” committed by government officials and their cronies, and proceed to prove their case in a criminal court of law.
So, why hasn’t the party of substance, the SLP, moved in that direction? Are there hiccups and nervousness about a larger problem?
Perhaps the SLP government should remind us all that, albeit their lack of a national economic plan to encourage sound business decisions that promote long-term prosperity, there is need to adjust policies and to replenish resources. Even to revamp institutions, including the cabinet of ministers, to promote fresh thinkers and to unleash creativity, to fritter away political indiscretion.
But my doubts somehow strike this stance as a dead issue, if the parliamentary representative for Soufriere, Harold Dalsan, has his thought process working. The concern now is extremely worrying. Saint Lucians are desirous of a better quality of life with each passing day – as a natural progression, having travelled a well-worn path of willful blindness and feckless behaviour by its leaders for generations.
The opportunity to change is the choice for better government, decision makers, and institutions that make intelligent decisions and good-faith efforts. None of which is within the ambit of the SLP or the fractionate opposition that engages in the current thoughtlessness and shabby intuitions of false solutions to Saint Lucia’s perplexing problems.
That’s why it is important to curb further confusion, control sovereign debt, manage security issues, food, healthcare and education concerns in order to realize a new path, a genuine strategic approach to seek the truth, to counter lies, and to shed light on some positive signs to getting Saint Lucia back, to a path of positive growth.
The helping hand in that process is via the path of a national debt recovery plan. The object of which is to reclaim taxpayers’ tangible and non-tangible assets, acquired by person(s) and or corporation(s) via fraudulent and corrupt means, and to use that resource to pay down the national debt that is fuelling negative economic growth.
Finding EC$100 million and more, how difficult is this? There are ways to find it, but this takes heart -- the heart of men of will and action, to clean up a new direction to drive and strengthen growth and prosperity.
Short of this will permit persons and institutions that are responsible for failed policies to dodge accountability and will continue to extricate illusions of theatre without restraint.
The government of substance, the SLP, can’t sit around and expect miracles from China, while trying to build a new world order, named the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), a group of six countries -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- and aims to be the dominant security institution in its region; or to rely on the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China), including ALBA and PetroCaribe for charity, via agreements that threaten national security, and are most likely to prolong economic recovery.
And, if the tolerance for stupefying incompetence and dysfunction at the national level continues, while counting on the next government to fix everything that the last one screwed up by the flick of a switch, then addressing structural problems, constitutional reforms, economic growth and prosperity will be guided by corruption, the well-connected insiders and special interests to the detriment of all.
But that does not mean the people of Saint Lucia should lose hope, or to stop brainstorming on how to stay on top of these various situations. To carry on heedless of the consequences for future generations is unforgiving; know that the LPM can help. Our sense of this is that the LPM is well positioned to redirect Saint Lucia very carefully with ideas and solution for long-term prosperity.
We, the LPM, have a plan, a practical change agenda to bring about growth and development, to engage and build relationships; a healthier nation with great healthcare, to make Saint Lucia more attractive as a friend of business; a strong promoter of women in business; a haven for foreign direct investment (FDI) in technology, infrastructure development (water, electricity, waste management), the development of cities, towns, villages with proper housing; agriculture and agro business, manufacturing, eco tourism and travel, and an education system that supports STEM education (science, technology, engineering and maths) to meet the demands of the workplace, and a nation of law and order.
Now you know where the LPM stands. We need you to spread the message that the LPM will not cling to a corrupt culture that make living standards the perfection of techniques that bluff citizens, justifies corruption or names and shames without due accountability.
Melanius Alphonse is a management and development
consultant. He is an advocate for community development, social justice,
economic freedom and equality; the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM) critic on
youth initiative, infrastructure, economic and business development. He can be
reached at
malphonse@rogers.com
Disclaimer:
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his/her
private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of
TheBahamasWeekly.com
© Copyright 2014 by thebahamasweekly.com
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