The situation in today's world setting is such - that ordinary folks must be left wondering what is really happening and what, if anything, they can rely on for truth and worthy examples for emulation.

It is one thing for those in positions of authority, like everyone else, to make mistakes, or wrong decisions, or have differences of opinion in various aspects of our daily lives. And when it comes down to Politics, Ideology, and Religion - the differences can be worlds apart, and so deeply entrenched, that even wars and centuries of worldwide uprisings have not been able to bring about changes.

On the other hand, because of the worldwide development in Education, Communication, Technology, and general knowledge in most fields that were once hidden from the public, or reserved only to those directly involved for one reason or another - so many things that were once secretive or privileged are now wide open to public scrutiny and in-depth dialogue.

And because of that openness, and the more enlightened approach to matters of public interest and concerns - one would have thought that those in authority, and or occupying positions of public trust and confidence to do with the business of the people, they would be more careful in their dealings, or exercise greater levels of competence and common sense, so as to ensure that their tracts, as it were, are fully and safely covered.

But for reasons best known to themselves, and also because of sheer arrogance in many cases, - as well as superior complexes - so many of those persons in authority and very high positions, make complete fools of themselves, and bring shame and disgrace to the people and countries they represent, or the organisations and groups they are heading, as well as their families and supporters.

The findings of the Committee appointed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and headed by the Trinidad and Tobago Judge (Justice Anthony Lucky) fall squarely into that category of sheer incompetence, gross negligence, and could even attract accusations of fraudulent dealings - by the two or three cricket officials, who negotiated and signed the Sponsorship Contract with Digicel, purportedly on behalf of the WICB.

What are they going to say in their defence - they did not know the ropes, they were new inexperienced boys on the block, they had no experts to guide them, they were so anxious to help West Indies Cricket that they acted too hastily? All nonsense, so what else?

On the other hand, does it not look more glaringly obvious - that it was all a deliberate conspiracy to get rid of Cable and Wireless, as more dollars were being dangled before them, with the just as obvious subsidiary question - for whose pocket?

And what makes the smelly dealings more nauseating, is that while a whole West Indies Cricketing Nation was mourning and groaning with shame, at seeing our pride and joy and once heroic Cricket idols biting the dust - and so many people blaming those poor players (WICB) for seeking their rightful interest - those high and mighty big pappies were publicly pretending to be operating from a principled position, and accusing the players of greed.

So now we know the facts, what next? And by the way, the other members of the WICB cannot be given a clean slate of dedicated and responsible managerial dealings, because they also knew the full Board had neither seen or ratified the so-called Super-Contract with Digicel.

Yet they too remained mum, while the players took a bashing from all and sundry. Had this been some little people, involved in such a tremendous mismanagement let down - those in authority and their hypocritical supporters would have had a field day, in condemning and handing down so-called just punishment.

We wait to hear and see the next move, towards justice and peaceful co-existence between the new Board and the WIPA. Then amidst all the front page and headline news about the "Miracle Eye Programme" between Cuba and Grenada - with our Prime Minister even taking a "free trip" to accompany one batch of those going for their "free operations" - we saw the publication in the Grenadian Voice two weeks ago, of the "Real Cuba" for millions of Cubans who are forced to live like slaves in the Twenty-first Century in their own country.

True enough a whole lot of Grenadians are getting treatment "free" as far as they are concerned, and in many cases they could not have afforded to pay for that treatment - certainly not in Cuba. They could have got it in Grenada but after very long waiting periods; so in their grateful minds and now better seeing eyes, it all sounds and looks like a miracle indeed.

But I wonder how they must be feeling if, and when they saw and read the pictures and story - about how the very people, in whose country they got such treatment in a very few days, were merely existing for years with no hope of any such treatment.
Some may be selfish enough to say or think, that it is not their business about how those native Cubans have to suffer and wallow in their hopelessness - while the "Miracle Leader" spread his propaganda ideology throughout the region.

On the other hand, it is no secret that the service is not "as free" as those involved would try to have us believe. Even for the thousands of Doctors and Nurses exported to Grenada, Trinidad and Venezuela, to name just three recipients - the respective Governments are sending the hard U.S. Currency back home to Castro, where he decides how much they are paid.

And even in Venezuela a short while ago, Castro's closest friend - President Hugo Chavez - was embarrassed when his native Venezuelan Doctors and Nurses staged a demonstration in Caracas, protesting against those Cubans presence and demanding that they are sent back home. There was also protests in Trinidad against the large number of cheaper specialists from Havana in Port-of-Spain.

So whether our Regional Government Leaders are welcoming Cuba in CARICOM, the Association of Regional States, the FTAA, or under whichever umbrella they choose to parade - the big question remains as a haunting cancerous plague, are they helping the suffering and oppressed Cuban people, or merely flexing their own dictatorial muscles - by pretending to stand up for sovereign so-called independence for Cuba, because they cannot behave like Castro in their own backyard?

Whatever your answer, depending on your own outlook, the people of the region as a whole will continue to be the real losers, because of their Leaders hypocrisy. The other breaking news that is also very disturbing, came from the Religious Leader, Pat Robertson of the U.S.A., in his "700 Club" broadcast program.

Commenting on the behaviour of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, in his on-going war of words with President George Bush of the U.S.A., Rev. Robertson was reported to have said, words to the effect, that Chavez is always saying that the U.S. President wants to, or is planning to assassinate him (Chavez), and since the U.S.A. has the ability it should do just that, and save the region a lot of hassle.

Now from anyone, in any country where democracy and civil liberties abound, those words are just not acceptable - whether Robertson meant them literally or not.

Those whose memories go back that far, would recall that in the early seventies - when the two Super powers, U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. (America and Russia) were fighting a cold war for world dominance - the popularly elected Allende of Chile was assassinated - primarily because he was aligned to the U.S.S.R., and he was beginning to look like another Castro on the South American mainland.

The very clear assumption was that it was the work of the CIA in getting rid of that comrade, and the right wing monster in Pinochet took over and the rest is now sad history. Of course, in those days it was a two-way street - in that while the U.S.A. was doing its damnest to keep the left-wing Socialist/Marxist out of power, the U.S.S.R. and Cuba were spearheading revolutionary take-overs all over the world - including Grenada.

We know what happened in those States that took power by means of violence, and we can see clearly what is happening to the people of Cuba - where President Castro is still wielding the guns rather than the ballot boxes in free and fair democratic elections.

But despite all the foregoing, and however else the goodly Reverend gentleman may be seeing President Chavez, to go out on a limb on a public radio program and call for his assassination by the U.S.A. is irresponsibility of the highest order, and must be condemned by all peoples striving for justice and peace.

There is no question whatsoever, that Hugo Chavez is doing everything within his monetary might to win over his Caribbean neighbours to his side in the fight he is having with President Bush of the U.S.A. And even his so-called "free elections" in his country are clouded with serious doubts.

But one hand cannot clap, and even Chavez with his two hands full of dollars and oil - which he is dangling before our Caribbean Leaders, except Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados - he too realises that Castro cannot help him, and he needs the CARICOM States and some South American ones to make his presence felt in Washington D.C.

And that is where our mini-States in the region come into the picture, and our Leaders can show their mettle. We know a lot of them have their own dictatorial tendencies ready made in their political closets, and in their selfish naivety they are ready to jump on any bandwagon of propaganda against America.

But they had better think twice and three times, before it is too late to jump off this particular wagon of cheap oil - because the long term losses and liabilities will most certainly outweigh and outlive the short term gains, and the people of the region will be the losers as always.

But all the foregoing notwithstanding, the answer must never be violence, nor taking a man's life to silence his political exploits. Violence only breeds more violence and never brings about peace. And it is very disturbing to hear a man of the "Cloth" making the suggestion in the Twenty-first Century, after all the horrors we have experienced from violence.

Whether it is so-called State Executions, after a guilty verdict in a Court of Law; or the same State's assassination of a man whose Ideology is considered dangerous and alien - it is un-acceptable and barbaric.

Man and man are sufficiently intelligent and wise to be able to find peaceful solutions for mankind problems.