Looking back on 2013, the first event that stands out in our minds is the February General Election when 78 566 Bajans, seemingly oblivious to the bitter experience of 2008 to 2013, voted for the incumbent government.
The other 74 027, apparently less comatose, voted against them, while some couldn’t decide between the devil and the deep blue sea and didn’t vote at all.
So if those 78 566 are hurting now, they can only blame themselves, but unfortunately the other 74 027 are also paying dearly for their seemingly short-term thinking.
On election night the Prime Minister proclaimed “how sweet that victory is”. We wonder “for whom”? Maybe for the party since they all look hale and hearty, but certainly, based on all that has happened since, not for the country.
As I look at Government’s latest published debt – $18 million to UCAL – I wonder if it wouldn’t be simpler to list those companies/organisations Government doesn’t owe. Where is the concrete plan to get us out of the hole we’re in? One often hears that some suggested measure “would not bring significant savings”, but if we added all the insignificant savings, wouldn’t they become significant?
Instead, the Government keeps dithering and doing nothing (except continually taxing us) while the situation worsens. We the taxpayers can’t be happy with continually increasing taxes when Government, far from holding strain, fritters away money on new cars, frequent flying and new “monopoly money”, while continuing to play havoc with our security through relentless assaults on our National Insurance contributions. But as Texas Guinan, the 19th century American businessman, said, “a politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country” or perhaps more accurately “for his party”.
Rather than face the situation head on and do something positive and sensible, Government keeps blaming external forces. As Reverend Marcus Lashley is quoted: “I am not sure about you but I am actually now quite sick of the term ‘global recession’ and the other one ‘forces external to our economy which are bigger and more powerful than we are’. Somehow they have become excuses for mediocrity, complacency and a lack of industry.” I totally agree.
Nevertheless, amidst our hardships, we must count our blessings. When we look around the world at all the war, unrest and disasters, we do have a lot to be thankful for.
As recently as Christmas Day this was brought home to us with the devastation wrought on St Vincent , St Lucia and Dominica and further afield in North America by bad weather, while we only had minor rainfall. But of course the politicians didn’t have any hand in that good fortune.
As we reach the end of a difficult year and ponder our fate in 2014, while we have no control over natural disasters, we must protect our country against those disasters which are controllable. I would certainly welcome the intervention of an Eminent Persons Group to try to advise Government on a way forward. I say “try” because in 2008 a group of people representing all sectors attempted unsuccessfully to give advice.
In choosing these people, I would avoid those who have to say a paragraph of big words when a sentence would do; I would check those who own their own businesses to see how well managed these businesses are, since there are “do as I say but not as I do” managers and management consultants who can’t even manage their lives far less their businesses.
We need practical down-to-earth advice based on real experience, and while we don’t need “to crack heads and shoot people”, we must implement tough measures and stick to them, rather than keep wavering, causing uncertainty in the country. As Mr Tennyson Beckles says, “we have to come out of the classroom . . .”.
We need to stop using foreign exchange on junk which we wouldn’t miss if it wasn’t there. If leaving it to “market forces” hasn’t worked, then regulate it. Judging from the packed car parks at supermarkets and malls, Bajans don’t seem to be exercising much restraint in spite of all the talk about fears about the future.
As we enter the New Year, let’s all contribute to bringing our country back to stability and prosperity. May it be a peaceful New Year for us all.
• Dr Frances Chandler is a former Independent senator. Email [email protected].
