Posted by By Mourine De Freitas-Ramjeet
At a time in our history when the world is still reeling from a financial crisis, the catastrophic economies facing Caricom countries after the collapse of British American and Clico, the tiny multi island state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has money flowing like water through the streets from what seems like a bottomless fountain for a “Yes” campaign for the referendum that will be voted on come November 25th.
Vincentians are struggling to survive on limited resources and poor medical facilities. Children are going to school and to bed hungry, but the Government of the day seems not to be concerned with these issues facing this poverty stricken country. Instead, they find it more important to spend Millions on a campaign for a proposed Constitution that has no urgency to our nation. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has no natural resources and the manufacturing industry is almost down to nil, export is on the down turn and families overseas are finding it very difficult to send home help like they used to before the economic squeeze globally.
Prime Minister Gonsalves, please tell me what are the immediate economic benefits should the yes vote get the nod from the electorates that can justify such reckless spending of taxpayers’ money when every country is tightening its belt to tide them over this serious financial crisis. There must be a hidden agenda for such a desperate move on the part of the Government to cause such disregard for its people to squander the nation’s scarce resources in the way it is being done.
This blatant disrespect for our people will no doubt be very costly and will take a very long time for the treasury to recover. No one has to be a university graduate to see that this kind of governance is destructive and is going in the wrong direction. As I listen to both sides of the Campaign, I see more reasons why there should have been more time for people to understand the document since so much is lumped together. A total overhaul of the constitution by a Government on the heels of a general election is not in the best interest of any nation.
In my opinion the vicious way in which the Government is taking the campaign is making people very nervous and will bring out more “No” voters in record numbers as it is always better to be safe than sorry. We are known by the company we keep, some of the Prime Minister’s close friends are not operating democratic Governments and the human rights practices leave much to be desired. There is a clear signal of where we will end up with a yes vote under this administration. Some of the issues brought to the forefront by the New Democratic Party and other interest groups give us a lot of good for thought.
The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, has issued a warming to Columbia of possible war. What does this mean for the members of ABLA that pledged allegiance to Venezuela, does it mean that Vincentians have to support the war between Venezuela and Columbia and maybe send our men and women to fight on behalf of Venezuela? We need more clarification on what is expected of us in times these. We cannot follow a leader blindly. Since there are so many ambiguous areas in the proposed constitution, a yes vote can lead us down the wrong path; therefore, we need to send a resounding “NO” to Prime Minister Gonsalves.
Vincentians, please be reminded who made the announcement of the ALBA agreement, it was not our Prime Minister, it was the President of Venezuela. Who give him the power to speak on our behalf? Certainly we did not. We must not be bamboozled into giving away our birth right for a belly full, these days a belly full is just about what $200.00 can do, I am sure it is already spent and forgotten. For us to protect our democracy and future, we must encourage our families and friends to vote “No”.
I am declaring November 24th a day of prayer and fasting for all Vincentians at home and abroad from the rising of the sun to setting of the sun. When we send up prayers, God sends down showers of blessings.
