Japan’s recent fate has taken over world events and has set the eyes of the globe upon the worst natural disaster known to man.
The March 11 earthquake and tsunami that wrecked Japan has come to the epicentre of world news, as the country mourns its loss. The toll on life and property has been etched on the face of the survivors who have returned to their place of abode looking for family, neighbours, friends and even pets.
The vulnerability and fragility of life has been exposed to us all. Many of us in the English-speaking Caribbean probably don’t speak Japanese, but we understand the language of pain and suffering as being experienced by the Japanese.
In the region, we can expect collateral damage, as Japan is the third largest economy in the world. Already, we are hearing of planned shut downs in Japan as the country seeks to conserve on energy. This comes against the background of meltdowns at nuclear reactors at the Fukushima power plant.
This ripple effect will be felt throughout the world as Japan struggles to ensure financial market stability. There can be no doubt that we in the region will feel the economic pain of the third largest economy.
The devastation in Japan has now become yet another global crisis.
However, the doomsday preachers on the other side would want to give the impression that the problems facing Barbados were not a derivative of the global crises, but poor economic management. Oh, please !!!
Owen Arthur in his tone of ever preaching gloom to the public of Barbados has sought to drive fear and anxiety into the hearts and minds of the public.
What Arthur has not done is to read the same newspaper that reports on his political rhetoric about the continued challenges of our economic climate.
In recent times, these same newspapers have reported increases in various aspects of our services and goods. However, Arthur has not come out and blasted the chicken producers for poor economic management as they seek to pass on the increased price of meat as a result of increased world feed prices. Â
He has not come out and blasted the Barbados Light & Power for poor economic management as it released a statement on the proposed increased in electricity as a result of high fuel prices.
He has not come out and blasted the officials in Libya for their inability to stem the unrest which has triggered renewed uncertainty in the price of a barrel of oil.
Let’s not forget the rising cost in airfares as airlines seek to maintain profit margins. Nope, he did not! Â
For Arthur there is nothing to be politically gained from raising those issues.
Of course, according to Arthur, the Democratic Labour Party somehow had an invisible hand in shaping the outcomes of the world economic outlook. When we reflect upon this period of our political history, the only thing the Opposition will be remembered for is nurturing an environment of political mayhem. They have so consumed themselves with this desire to return to office, that it’s to be at all costs.
Our continual work as a party and administration of bringing economic stabilization, growth, job creation and efficiency to the corridors of Government will not fade as our goal. We will continue to act in the interest of all Barbadians and not just a few men.
•Douglas Leopold Phillips is a pseudonym for the Democratic Labour Party.
