The saying “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts” assumes critical significance once again. Like a larrikin among the high stakeholder players, Greece threw down the gauntlet: “Mek the people decide.”
All Europe and the financial markets around the world were in an uproar. Nicholas Sarkozy, the French president, got blue vex.
“They had no right in the Common Market in the first place. They got in on a bunch of lies. They lived [high] off the hog and now they are paying for their sins.”
George Papandreou, the Greek Achilles, stood firm at first. “Referendum in your tail!”
Meanwhile back in London, the once vaunted centre of trade and of the rich and famous, bacchanal in front of St Paul’s Cathedral! It looks like the clergy is joining the spree. Having closed the doors to no avail, the church has seen the light and has sided with the poor and the destitute. It could not have done otherwise, now could it?
It could not have supped at the table of Dives.
A lepidote contingent of fellows, oblivious of the incarceration threat, has even garnered support from some of the rich and certain politicians (the opposition).
Having set the pace in the Middle East, the Wall Street Spring has sprung up all over the United States’ 700 000 homeless, and people like peas flooding the soup kitchens.
Is this a revolution against what we call capitalism? Is freedom of speech imploding on itself? What is the world saying to Barbados, a little democratic rock of 284 000 souls – “friends of all, satellite of none”?
In Libya they got rid of Gaddafi. Do we have any Gaddafis in our fair land or do we have a Nero? Is there a Cain among us who keeps changing his tune as more details are revealed?
Do we have a Jon Corzine who cannot account for over six billion smackers? Do we have any strongmen who wreak havoc on the poor or are given to pelf?
Do we have any dishonest people? Can we hold up our heads and cry foul?
Can we, like Achilles, drag the carcass of Hector through the streets as Homer tells us? Do we in our hearts show compassion to Priam and give back his dead, defeated son?
Are our hearts white as snow or do our politicians take bribes like they do in other countries? Some people call it “bobolism”.
Do we have honest men at the helm? Do we have “big boys” who get away with large schemes whereby money is laundered through legitimate means?
Will the Financial Services Commission have the testicular fortitude to ferret them out so that we deserve the boasted United Nations rating?
What the Greeks had in the wooden horse enabled them to sack Troy and that will be an awakening that will reverberate around the world as sure as day follows night.
Again I ask, do we have men of fortitude in Barbados like in times of yore? Will it take a politician to lead the charge?
But the Greeks also said: “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” (Who will guard the guards?) Who can we trust in these treacherous days?
“Wild Coot,” said an angel appearing before me in the moonlight that shone through my window; she was writing in a book of gold.
“Be on your guard!”
Like a good Bajan I peeped, and she was writing in English and Spanish. Lo and behold, she was writing things that I cannot reveal.
And she said to me: “Keep these words in your heart, Wild Coot, and ponder them deeply. They are not to be revealed in your Wild Coot column.”
She tore out the pages that held the accusations and gave them to the Wild Coot, saying: “Do not write about these things lest your nation rebel and hold you up to ridicule.”
I said: “Amen!”
Fortunately my book deals with more enjoyable topics best discussed in the moonlight.
