Dear Editor,
Questions are being asked as to why the Government, and I dare say some of the people are putting so much expectation and emphasis upon the coming Jubilee of fifty years of Independence.
Some folks feel that we really have nothing to celebrate, in this backward nation. We have done nothing worthy of any type of celebration. We have produced nothing, created nothing or built anything. We are in other words a nation of sheep so characterized.
In KN 14 March, 2016 one of the intellectual WPA members who was in opposition to Mr Burnham policies, reading from his paper on the Grenadian revolution said: “I argued that the Caribbean has stood still in development terms partly because our Governments have avoided revolutionary changes.” He went further: “Our Independence leaders, once in office, become reformist at best, never going beyond the confines of political and economic correctness.” I wonder which did he see Mr Burnham as, and Mr Hoyte for that matter. Revolutionary or Reformist? By his comments I would assume that he is definitely in favour of Caribbean Governments making revolutionary changes, if so why then did the WPA oppose Mr Burnham’s ideas, which were definitely revolutionary. Was it just ego? What political concept could they have grasped that Mr Burnham would not have known or understood. The socialist ideology, self reliance at the individual level, egalitarianism as in equality and Cooperatives as the economic engine of growth was put forward by the PNC Government under the leadership of Mr Burnham. Within a Caribbean context those were the most revolutionary ideas enunciated by any leader within the Caribbean. His ideas, and policies were definitely not reformist.
There was a period when this country was buzzing with excitement under Mr Burnham’s leadership, buzzing with the internal thought of helping to create a landmark country within the Caribbean. It was buzzing with accomplishments, whether it was in agriculture or education, self help houses, and new roads. Entrepreneurship ideas were abounding, nascent businesses were coming into play. But they all came to a screeching halt under the era of the reformist ideas, better known as the “post self reliance era” of Mr Hoyte who took us backwards as he desired to please some people. What happened during that period? Did the WPA revolutionaries lose their tongues? Or better still they probably approved “politicians never going beyond the confines of political and economic correctness.” Therefore why should there be any type of discussion now as to why imported lemons cost less than locally grown lemons, or why any imported product should cost less than homemade or grown anyway. The door was left open a long time ago, so why bother now.
We never wanted for fruit or vegetables even during the time of the ban. Hoyte however returned us to the land of complacency. He encouraged it (capitalism).instead of providing for ourselves we were content to be fed again. Independence to some had become a trite word.
When he departed the scene he had returned us to full membership of the manufacturers representative club forever. We were worse off than in 1985. This is what he handed over to the PPP in 1992. They of course with no creative ideas resorted to business as usual, while the import bill has ballooned to 15 Billion, and we are importing lemons. Could you beat that?
Yours faithfully
Milton Bruce
