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HOME	AUGUST 28th, 2005

ABOUT PARLIAMENT - THE STADIUM - AND THE LOAN

As we approach the anniversary of that dreaded date of September seventh, it is quite interesting to see and try to understand - what is happening, how it is happening, and why it is happening. And although we may not discover the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in our search for answers - it may be just as rewarding to make the enquiries, pose the questions, and even open the floodgates of speculation - so as to challenge the powers-that-be and those in possession of the answers, to at least come forward and clear the air, even if they cannot at this stage come really clean.

It cannot be repeated too often, nor too forcefully, that when dealing with the people's business, on behalf of the people - those people have a God given right to know, and to be adequately informed, about what is taking place in their names and in their interest and welfare.

To be doing otherwise, on whatever pretence for non-disclosure, is in my humble opinion, a serious breach of the trust and confidence that go hand in hand with the mandate to serve, to inform, and to account. Public opinion, from whatever source, can have very far-reaching consequences in any given situation; and it seems to me, and it also accords very comfortably with common sense, in my view - that it must be much better, and far more rewarding in the long run, to take people into one's confidence and to be transparent up front, than to hide and bramble about what is happening when the same will come out in the wash one day.

As the late Michael Manley - the ex-Prime Minister of Jamaica once said.... "There is a responsibility on a Government to share with the people immediately a problem arises, the truth about that problem; so that the support of men of goodwill may be brought to bear through the simple process of understanding".

And the best place to do that sharing is in our Parliament - because that is supposed to be the place where every act of Government must be held up to public scrutiny - and since it is the people's forum, when Parliament is misused and downgraded it is the voice of the people that is being extinguished.

In the sitting of parliament last week, the issues for discussion and debate were downgraded to the level of a main street bacchanal on Carnival day. The same topic, about fraud charges against lawyer ad Member of Parliament Peter David of NDC, that the Government of Grenada had to publicly apologise to the U.S. Government for - was the highlight of a presentation I heard the Prime Minister made in Parliament, and widely reported in the news media that day.

And what is more, that scandalous state of affairs was made much worse - when Hansard reports for that day, had to record that the Government official was complaining that the member for the Town of Saint George had not paid his Credit Card dues on time. Now I ask you in all seriousness - how much lower can those mandated to speak on the people's behalf, stoop in their mis-guided zeal to get even?

The exchanges were bad enough, when Sen. Einstein Louison made his totally unfounded, false and very malicious allegations, and the Prime Minister's (new) Press Secretary had to publicly admit that the allegation was not true, and media people should not publish. And yet with all those serious matters concerning the people's business, that needs to be disclosed and debated in the people's parliament - the same worn-out nancy story was number one on the agenda.

I understand that the Government has again sanctioned salary increases for all Ministers and M.P's, because the public servants had received their increases earlier this year; and there is some unwritten rule or precedent for so doing. Surely that would have been a far more important topic for discussion and debate - because my information is that the Opposition in Parliament is against that pattern of behaviour. A topic that did come up on the Order Paper, was the question of borrowing $16M (U.S.) from Trinidad and Tobago for the "Ivan' and "Emily" reconstruction programme. With the Government's one seat majority in the Lower House, the Motion was approved despite the Opposition refusal to support it.

My own very inquisitive concerns on that loan motion, have to do with the recent disclosures by the Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, about his Government's proposed "Brian Lara Cricket Stadium" - being built in readiness to facilitate the very probability, that the Government of Grenada will not be able to host the Eight matches allocated to our National Stadium.

It leaves one to wonder whether this is not just a palliative by the Trinidad and Tobago Government, when it realised that there was the Grenada lot offering a ready-made answer for the critics of the Tarouba Sporting Complex in South Trinidad. A straight case of - "you scratch my back and I will scratch yours". In the same Parliament sitting, the 5% hurricane Reconstruction Act also received its last reading in the Lower House - after the Amendments made during the sitting of the Senate when the Bill first went there.

Readers may recall that after the initial protests of many aspects of the Bill, when it went to the Senate Government made some amendments - especially on the question of a level of exemption from paying the Tax. So that in the new version workers earning $1000.00 and less will not be paying anything, and from over a thousand to $5000.00 it will be 5%, and over Five Thousand 2 %. It is still my contention that workers should not be made to pay anything at this period, because nearly everyone has Hurricane damage expenses or losses to meet, and these got even worse after "Emily" was added to "Ivan".

But even more specifically, it is more than obvious that only a small section of the working population will be paying this new Tax - in particular the public servants and employees in the few large firms in the private sector. The large mass of self-employed persons in various fields, as well as those they employ in one way or another - will pay nothing, and the cost of trying to police that lot, so as to collect from them, would be counter-productive and uneconomical.

The end result would be just as the schemers envisaged, i.e. Sß` p Tž om those wor N" the Government was forced to give a small increase after Ivan, as well as those in the private sector that the powers-that-be feel convinced voted against them in the last Elections. The original estimation of raising $15M (E.C.) was down-graded to about $9.M (E.C.) - when the exemption level was grudgingly added to the scheme.

But the figure that will be realistically raised, and the venom that will be unleashed by those forced to pay what they truly cannot afford - will not be adequate compensation for the revengeful vindictiveness of those who are hell bent on getting their own last word into the equation. Against the foregoing, however, I am still expecting the workersâ leaders in the Industrial arena, to come to their material assistance in resisting the bad-faith oppressive action of their political leaders, in this issue that is destined to cause even more hardship - to those already over-burdened by financial stress and natural disasters trauma.

When it is considered how much financial and other aid that came to the people of Grenada from overseas, and how recklessly (and secretly among their cronies) those in control squandered and misused Millions of dollars, that were meant for genuine reconstruction and re-development after the battering we all suffered; to sit back and allow this additional pressure to be added to their members already meagre pay packets, under the guise of a so-called "Reconstruction fund", is, in my view, a very serious let down by those Leaders, who also collect members Union dues to look after their members interests. The struggle of the working class, to achieve some measure of fair treatment during their working lives - is not and should not be confined to fighting only against their Capitalist Employers.

There comes a time, and more often than meets the naked eye, when the real struggle must be waged against those who misuse and abuse their exalted positions of power, to oppress the majority, who oppose their wrong doing, for cheap political mileage. The fair treatment and equal justice - worldwide struggle, can only be waged by those who are suffering the real hardship in the system that they have to live under.

And sadly as it may sound, but so manifestly very true, although those sufferers put those exalted Leaders in their positions of authority - sincerely believing and expecting their interests to be addressed and looked after - no sooner those heights attained, and their actions questioned for transparency, and accountability, and fair treatment, then all hell breaks loose and the petty revengeful actions and vindictive repercussions come flooding to the surface. And that is when the second level of workers leaders must come to the forefront, to bridge the gaping hole and restore some measure of hope, and reliability, and faith in their fellow men/women, to continue to lead their unending struggle in this oppressive world.

True enough, it all sounds like a vicious unending circle - but I suppose that just as this planet Earth was created as a round or circular mass, that rotates from day to day, so too is the lifetime that He allows us to live on His Earth. Success cannot be measured in absolute terms, for every one of us in every case.

That is not realistic in life. On the other hand we cannot, and must not, be so thankful for small mercies and little handouts - that we give up or abandon our God-given ambitions and innate zeal, to strive for success and excellence in this life. So whether we dealing in Parliament, or about the Stadium, or about wasted aids, or 5% Reconstruction Fund, or whatever - the struggle must go on regardless, towards achieving a share of that promised land - on this earth - before aspiring to the ultimate goal on the other side, where none of the above makes any difference.

I had finished writing the foregoing on Saturday a.m., and then went into a shop in Gouyave where I heard the sad news that Bro. Derek Allard had passed away earlier the said morning - I was stunned. I had seen the T.U.C. release on the 5% Tax Act in the papers the day before, and I had some reservations about the contents, because the language did not sound like Derek - hence my resolve to write as I did above. I wrote specifically with Derek in mind - totally unaware that he was ill and in Trinidad seeking treatment.

When I heard the news and Chester Humphrey stating the facts - I was lost for words. Now, that brave and dedicated Bro. Will never read this. The workers struggle has lost a stalwart - very difficult to be replaced but will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to his family and relatives, and to all workers left behind to keep the struggle alive. May he rest in peace.