Voices of Antigua & Barbuda

The Pope, The President & The Prime Minister

2010-04-02T09:12:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

For the last ten years I have been seriously disenchanted with the Catholic Church. Well… to tell the truth, I have always been disenchanted with the Church for its role in slavery and its sordid history on tens of other matters affecting people around the globe.

But these last ten years or so have been painful as case after case after case sexual abuse of children by priests in every corner of the globe have been brought from the pits of hell into the light of day.

And one thing that has turned the screws into my pain has been the Catholic Church’s response: Denials; Moving priests around (giving them access to more children to abuse); Paying off parents to keep quiet; Blaming reporters for reporting these vile acts; In reality… protecting those who violate the vulnerable and unprotected… The list of the Church’s poor responses goes on.

And now… the Pope… even he is now reportedly implicated in improperly handling a case (or cases) of these vile priests when he was bishop or archbishop or whatever…

Today, April 2nd, Good Friday, two days before Easter Sunday, the response of the Vatican is to target and object to reporters who report on these criminal priests and those who protect them.

Internationally, the general public has been outraged… people continue to be aghast at the depths of depravity wrought on the innocent by these so-called ‘holy men’!

For awhile, it seemed as though all of the cases of abuse by priests had been reported… But now… everyday… almost everywhere, more victims are finding the courage to speak up. And the outrage around the world is growing…

And ordinary Catholics have been silent… I guess that they are afraid of being excommunicated. The Catholics I know don’t talk about this subject. They avoid the issue.

The Vatican, the political center of the Catholic world, has wanted to be silent, to be above the fray, too holy to respond… But because of the fact that the pope himself has been touched, they have recently come out with a wimpish attempt at responding…

It is too little – too late. This issue could well balloon to such a degree that it might well place the papacy in a constitutional crisis. And it might well place the pope in a position where his leadership is undermined and put in question!

Constitutional crisis? Leadership threatened? Yep!

And it didn’t have to happen.

The leadership (of the Church) should have addressed the issues (years ago) by forthrightly denouncing these criminal priests. The leadership (of the Church) should have searched for, exposed and rooted out these wolves who preyed on the lambs in its flock. The leadership (of the Church) should have been at the forefront rather than at the backend of this issue.

Leadership is about stepping out in front of issues. Leadership is about responding to the concerns of the people. Leadership is about working for and on behalf of the members or followers.

A good example of this type of leadership is being shown by President Obama. He has stepped out in front of the issue of healthcare. The buck stops with him. He is the primary spokes person. He has taken full responsibility for its success or failure.

And yes… there is a lot of opposition. In the face of such opposition, he didn’t run and hide behind pundits and surrogates. He stepped out in front and took the poll and political hits that were thrown at him.

Leaders cannot choose to speak only when the stuff has hit the fan!

Leaders who choose to be silent amidst the crescendo of popular discourse and disharmony, are leaders who stand the risk of being swept away by the upheavals of discord.

Leaders who choose to be silent, who choose to be non-responsive, who choose to let others talk for them, are leaders who risk being former leaders!

This is the case whether the leader is a pope, a president or … a prime minister!

Can You Feel It?

2010-01-27T09:15:00.000-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I was recently on a Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Baltimore. We left Houston about forty minutes late and the pilot promised to make up some time on the normally three hours long flight. When he said that I knew that he meant that he intended to go faster than the speed limit! On Southwest Airlines, that is typical... their mentality is the reverse of well... LIAT. They strive to be always on time!

When we left Houston it was cold and rainy. About an hour into the flight... the seat belt light came on... and the pilot advised us that there was turbulence ahead. He was right!

Turbulence... that is not descriptive enough! It was rough. Up... down... sideways... Going up... going up... drop! Twist to the right... drop... twist to the left - bounce up! It was awful...

I looked around. People had the reading lights above their seats on. A couple of people were on their computers... Of course every now and then the computers would levitate and then slap back down to the seat-back tables while their fingers remained suspended in the air. Some people were reading... while others appeared to be sleeping!

That bumpy ride continued on and off for about an hour. When we thought that we had patched through to calmer skies... the bucking would start again.

But I couldn't understand the calmness of the people! Then it hit me... This was Texas... Cowboys and rodeo riders! They were accustomed to wild rides on bucking horse and snorting bulls!

Of course that was not it. You see... I left out one detail. Every ten minutes or so... the captain would announce how much longer he thought we would be enduring this ride... and of course he got it wrong several times... and each time he would come back on and give us an update. "There are several planes ahead of us... and they are reporting that the turbulence will continue for just a little longer!"

The flight attendants did their part. The captain had instructed them to remain seated and buckled in! Yet, every now and then they would get up... hold on to the seats... and go down the aisle to rub a shoulder... make an encouraging remark to a crying toddler... the kinds of stuff that you don't see on American Airlines... But then this is Southwest Airlines well known for singing, dancing, comedic flight attendants and pilots!

On this night, we could feel the pilot's presence. We felt his efforts to keep the plane stable. He kept connected to us. He gave us regular updates. He made a few light-hearted remarks. He updated us on the weather in Baltimore. He told us that although we were having a rough ride - that we would eventually reach Baltimore only fifteen minutes later than scheduled (Meaning that he was still breaking the speed limit!). He told us what the weather in Baltimore was.. and even commented on a major basketball game that was currently being played (people applauded when they heard the score!).

Eventually, the ride smoothed out... and we did land in Baltimore at the time he had indicated.

The ride was bumpy... turbulent... but it wasn't frightening. Why? Because of the leadership of the pilot. We felt his presence. We felt the presence of his team. He kept us informed about current events. He kept us connected to our destination... He stayed connected to us!

I felt him... I felt his control over the situation... I wasn't overly concerned... This guy and his team were in full control over the situation!

Here are my questions to you, as we think of Antigua and Barbuda - can you feel it?

Things are bumpy now. High levels of crime and a depressing economic situation are only two of the many deep problems we have! But, can you feel the Captain and his team? What's the plan? Do you know where we are going? Do you know how we are going to get there? Do you think we are given timely updates? Do you have a sense of how things are going? Do you feel safe and secure? Are we in good hands? Are you worried?

Can you feel it?

Noticeably Pregnant!

2009-11-10T13:53:00.001-05:00

By Mshaka

As most people know, there is an ongoing, heated debate about the proposed amendment to the Education Act which seeks to prohibit “noticeably pregnant” “students” from attending school.

While it is true that there is need for programs to prevent girls from becoming pregnant during their school years, this “Bill” does not seek to do that.

What it does is that it seeks to first remove the “noticeably pregnant” “girl” from her school, and second to punish her for becoming pregnant.

This Bill has nothing to with any concern for education. It has to do with adults concerns for some kind of effervescent morality… not morality having to do with teenage sex… but of teenage pregnancy.

If it was about teenage sex then the other party to the pregnancy… the boys or men… would also be targeted. But as far as I am aware, the Bill is silent about the males in the equation.

No – it is not about sexual behavior.

And, the system only punishes the girl if and when she becomes “noticeably pregnant”. If no one notices… then, hey, everything is OK. This is like the US Military’s rule about homosexuality in the US Armed Forces…. “Don’t see, don’t tell.” Keep it your homosexual orientation (or preferences) and certainly your activities… hidden!

So a young girl must hide her pregnancy! Tell them that you are just gaining weight. Wear overly large clothing. Whatever happens, don’t become “noticeably pregnant”. If you do become “noticeably pregnant” you will have to take off your uniform… and you will be banished from your school – denied of education – at least for a year… and after that – well… who knows!

Now what happens if no one notices and she never becomes “noticeably pregnant?” And let’s say she then has the baby. What then? She was never noticeably pregnant… so according to the law she should be able to stay in school after her delivery - (she was out sick…).

In the meantime, the male – the equal partner to the pregnancy - does not ever become “noticeably pregnant” and is not required to be “noticeably involved”.

Let’s say he is a fellow school mate… what then? Well, he is OK. He is not “noticeably pregnant”. He never will be… even if this is his second, third, fourth… Never mind all that… He is not “noticeably pregnant”.

And, remember that this is not about sexual activity by school aged children… this is about having a pregnant girl going to school.

One supporter of this odiferous Bill told me that “The young woman (after she becomes “noticeably pregnant”) will be a poor role model, will be a bad influence, and will send the wrong message to the other girls in the school!

Huh? What? What is the wrong message that she is sending?

Since the concern is not about sex… it has to be about not becoming “noticeably pregnant”. So her classmates, her friends… and the other girls around them… can be sexually active… as many of her friends probably are.

All they have to do is to just make sure that they don’t become pregnant. And if they do get pregnant… make sure that they are never “noticeably pregnant”.

Now… in the meantime the boys can go on having sex and fathering babies…! And the if they are older… and the girl is younger… then everyone turns a blind eye to that Gargantuan issue… Does the Bill address repercussions for them?

What is the answer to this situation?

There are only four issues to be addressed:Address the issue of teenage sexuality by developing prevention and intervention programs. There are tons of blue ribbon, research driven, proven, best-practices programs available worldwide. We even had one in Antigua years ago when the Youth Project (on Factory Road) was initiated.
If a girl becomes pregnant there should be a program that triggers a plethora of health, social and educational services to wrap around her. She should not lose out on educational services because she is 15 and pregnant. If anything… that should trigger greater concern for than for her peers because of her pending responsibility for another life. If the government opts for an alternative education program – it should be robust, well funded and seamlessly integrated with health and social services. And – every effort should be made to reduce any stigmatization that could come with such programs. In other words – there should be a strong focus on conscious-raising public awareness campaigns that highlight the importance of public support for these two children… mother and child.
Intensive wrap-around social and health services should be developed for the mother and baby once she has given birth. Such services would include parenting classes. Her education should be continued until she completes her secondary education. I would also submit that career guidance counseling should also be provided.
Finally, the issue of the males involved should be addressed. Steps taken should include legal, social, educational or psychological interventions. The legal issues are clear. However, school-age fathers… (who are going to school) should be involved in parenting classes along with the teenage mother!

I find the idea of putting “noticeably pregnant” in a Bill repulsive.

I find the idea of leaving the decision up to the School’s principal similarly obnoxious. Why? Well… I cannot imagine any of today’s bible-toting, bible-quoting principals making a decision to keep a “noticeably pregnant” young girl in their sight! So let’s not leave it up to them!

I suggest that a lot more thought must go into any decisions that are being made on these issues. There are many important things to consider. But the most important has to do with the young mother to be and her unborn baby – whether she is “noticeably pregnant” or not.

Direct Result of Immigration Policy

2009-11-09T13:25:00.001-05:00

By Mshaka

Every day when I listen to the radio and television news… it feels as though I am listening to accounts from Jamaica.

I remember about ten years ago, a friend of mine was contemplating a potential contract that would have had him doing significant work in Jamaica. He would have had to interface with residents in some of Jamaica’s poorest neighborhoods. He was seriously considering it because of the “nice pay per day” that he was going to receive for a six month contract.

He asked his wife. She objected. He asked his kids… they objected. He asked his mom and dad. They objected. He still persevered and was about to go… a man has to do what a man has to do. Well… he almost had a family mutiny on his hands.

He finally decided that he would not go. Since then he has been to Iraq and Somalia. Recently, he had another opportunity to go to Jamaica to do similar work for an international agency. He again decided not to go!

Where is this guy from? His wife is Jamaican. His parents are Jamaican. His oldest son is Jamaican. He…. is Jamaican – from Negril! Has he been back to Jamaica… Yes… he did the tourist thing – he went to the North Coast where all the hotels are… with a brief… hurried trip to his home town.

He talks about the high levels of senseless crimes in his country… where apparently no one feels safe. He talks about the criminals who have no respect for law and order. He talks about the fact that people who live there everyday feel a sense of being bombarded and imprisoned in “dem own yard”.

He talks about the fact that ordinary citizens of good conscience are now carrying various types of weapons… to defend themselves.

He talks about the fact that many women don’t feel safe. He says that, according to family members who are still there, neighborhoods seem like war zones…

He says that children are growing up with this sense of being traumatized on a daily basis… rapes, gunfire, stabbings, armed robberies, political violence, murders…

As he talks and I listen… I begin to get goose bumps… This sounds like Antigua (not yet Barbuda).

My mind begins to drift… How did Antigua get like Jamaica? I remember growing up in Perry Bay… Tinning Village to be exact… We had our doors and windows open and only closed them for rain – or the mosquitoes… or the awful smell from Tom’s ‘night soil’ carts!

Now… it doesn’t matter where you live… you close your windows and doors, and not only lock them… but put on padlocks and turn on the alarm.

Probably the fastest growing business in Antigua is the security business.

How did we get this way?

There is only one answer… All those things were imported from Jamaica and elsewhere.

All of this is a direct result of the myopic, treacherous and criminal policy of the former ALP government who were tricked by the Guyanese idea to import voters into Antigua to boost their diminishing support among Antiguans.

This is also a direct result of the weak kneed, snail-paced, and indecisive policy of the current UPP Government who for political reasons are afraid – have been afraid to develop a firm policy towards immigration.

It is a mistake that the UPP Government will pay dearly for.

Both Governments… the former and the current are responsible for the wave of endemic violence that we are now seeing and the fear that has embraced our beautiful island – where supposedly - “the beach is just the beginning…“ (Of what? But that’s another story!)

Now the violence has reached our beaches and impacting our one-industry economy!

I know that some will make the argument that some of the perpetrators of these criminal acts are our own Antiguan people. I agree.

But….

Just like many of our Antiguan brothers and sisters have adopted the nefarious, ghetto, ‘xyznklitzvt’ behaviors, songs, mindset, attitudes, dress and other sub-cultural artifacts from Jamaica (and Guyana)… A small set of Antiguans have also adopted the criminal sub-culture and criminal psychological mindsets from these countries.

I also know that some of you will make the argument that some Antiguans have brought back their criminal lifestyles from the United States. The trouble with that argument is that we don’t have any statistics on how many of those people have been deported by to Antigua.

What we do know… is that with the massive tidal wave of Jamaicans and Guyanese (and others) who have come to Antigua… have come Tom, Dick & Dirty Harry – and many of them from the criminal underbelly of those countries.

What do we do now?

Our immigration policy needs to be fixed right now. Every crime… every robbery… every rape… every murder… I lay squarely on the doorstep of the politicians… past and present.

Every delay in fixing the immigration policy… every delay in ensuring that every person in Antigua is properly documented (nationals and foreigners)… every hesitation to do the right thing… for whatever reason… every delay adds to the number of crimes… the number of rapes…

UPP – do the right thing! Fix the immigration policy now. Re-election or not! Antiguans are living in fear. Our women live in fear. Many don’t sleep well. Our children are hurting… the violence and the negative foreign live styles are impacting them too!

UPP – Fix immigration now. Stop being afraid of the foreign vote! Good people – nationals and foreigners will not only understand – they will agree. The foreigners among us are subjected to the same violence and crimes and rapes as Antiguans are. They are suffering too!

Mr. Spencer – leadership is about courage. It is about doing the right thing! Close those immigration loopholes now! Then set about documenting every breathing person in Antigua!

I am placing this crime spree, violence debacle, and the waves of rapes right on the doorstep of both leaders… both parties…

Who else can we hold accountable?

Who else can fix this problem?

Antigua’s Complicity

2009-10-27T09:25:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I read with interest that a group of people are trying to block Antigua and Barbuda’s effort to get assistance from the IMF. As I understand it, they are charging that “The Pirate of the Caribbean” would not have been able to conduct the massive fraud that he is charged with if Antigua had not been “complicit” in the execution of his purportedly fraudulent activities.

In other words, Antigua’s ‘complicity’ allowed him to do what he did!

I agree!

Let me say it again. I unequivocally, unapologetically, unhesitatingly – agree that Antigua was complicit.

Not only was Antigua (not Barbuda) complicit, but most Antiguans were complicit.

Antiguans were complicit to the point that very few people questioned where he was getting the money from. Thousands of Antiguans benefitted personally and individually from his loot. Hundreds of them ‘backed in their trucks’ to get truckloads of money. People flocked to work for wages which were triple or quadruple what they could get elsewhere.

Politicians, lawyers, civil servants (high ranking civil servants), skilled trade professionals ran up there to get some of the Pirate’s booty.

Politicians from both sides benefitted… personally and party-wide. But it was those guys in red who cleaned up. It is purported that personal housing projects were built from the booty. The politicians were not only complicit… they were responsible… they should have asked questions and found answers rather than pretending to be blind.

And the lawyers… they got dirty rich. One of them… one on the blue side… that came from the red side… we know got a million dollar check just for putting together some papers! And this was money that Antiguans had to pay back to the Pirate! This lawyer – through – the Pirate… got a million dollars of the people’s money just for preparing documents. And even after being elevated by the people… his law firm continued to represent and protect the Pirate. He… his law firm… and the other law firms were complicit.

And those cricketers… years ago some of them did the right thing regarding playing in South Africa… But this time around… they all but prostituted themselves for the Pirate’s money. They were complicit.

Oh… and by the way… let’s not forget those Antiguans who it is purported robbed the Pirate of some of his booty: construction materials, construction equipment, and much more. They too, it is charged… cleaned him out… They benefitted. They were complicit.

Generally, most people in Antigua, were happy that the Pirate chose Antigua for his operations. Of course he constantly threatened to move to this or that island. And every time he did that… Antiguans gave him more land and more love.

Of course, I am rubbing salt into the wounds of the now disenchanted and depressed Antiguans who had purposely turned blind eyes to what went on.

Did I turn a blind eye? Was I also complicit? The answer is a resounding NO!

Well… maybe… maybe I was complicit. I should have done more… The day that it was announced that the Pirate was under scrutiny… was a sad day for me.

Why? Because although it vindicated what I had been saying for seven years… I thought I should have done more… been more vocal… been on the air… wrote in the newspapers…

But… then I went to my blog and I re-read every article that referenced the Pirate… and I felt a little better… not good… just a little better. I had done something… not enough… but something…

If you conduct a search of this blog… you will find “tons” of references to the “Pirate”. I continuously asked questions about the Pirate and his activities. I criticized the government, the opposition and all those Antiguans who went shuffling to him head bent and hat in hand.

I lambasted the lawyers, the cricketers, the politicians and professionals (some of them good friends) – who lowered their principles, put on sun shades, and worked to prop him up… and fatten their pockets.

The evidence was there that something was amiss. Lots of it: Which billionaire business man do you know develops a two bit landscaping business competing with our local weed-wacker carrying yards men?

Which billionaire – who got his billions through big business – would develop some little mediocre housing project that doesn’t – didn’t… couldn’t make any money?

Which hard working billionaire businessman would throw money at cricket… the only sport in the world that doesn’t and wont ever make money - at least not in this part of the world…?

Which savvy business person would go into a business where you know you are going to lose millions of dollars? Who in their right minds… having made had earned dollars would throw it away on and in the airline business?

Which savvy business minded person would employ fifty or more grounds-men to take care of a cricket field? A field that – yes its pleasing to the eyes… but it doesn’t produce any income!

One day I watched those guys on that field… and that was long before any ‘big’ matches were played there. They were at least 20 of them… sitting around… watching the sprinklers in action. Every now and then they would get up… examine tufts of grass… pull out a worm or two… (or something) and go back to sit and sip in the shade. At least 20 people… getting paid to do absolutely nothing for an activity that made the Pirate absolutely no money!

It dawned on me that this Pirate had money to throw away. And was throwing it away. No one who works hard and earns their money – throws it away like that. No one. No where in the world will you find rich business people doing that. My assessment seven years ago was that… something was wrong…. something was amiss…

And… all those Antiguans – politicians, lawyers, civil servants, professionals, tradesmen, labourers… refused to ask questions…. or seek answers. They just lined up and and went shuffling… knees bent, head bowed… hat in hand…

They were all complicit. I have said so for seven years. And, I am saying so now.

They were not only complicit. They benefitted.

Let me change that. We benefitted. The nation benefitted. The nation was complicit.

Lessons From A Sage & A Gentleman

2009-10-14T11:11:00.006-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Sage: A kind and wise older person; one who is distinguished for wisdom and sound judgment.

Gentleman: A man who: is polite and respectful of others; acts with high character; demonstrates good and courteous conduct.

A Sage and a Gentleman.

I remember being coached by such a man when I attended the St. Joseph's Academy. We were being prepared to travel to Dominica to compete in our annual tournament with the St. Mary's Academy.

I was impressed then by the demeanor of my cricket coach. He was knowledgeable and a good teacher. He knew all aspects of the game. And he knew how to coach it. I guess there were others who had similar qualifications... not many... but there were certainly a few of them around.

But none had his demeanor... his presence... his quiet authority... his grace in speech... his gentle yet firm approach to coaching... his soft yet - on occasion- stern guidance.. his fluid, definitive, subtle, and balanced demonstrations of how to handle bat and ball... and most importantly... his polite and courteous demeanor... to us... teenagers.

He never raised his voiced... he changed his tone... soft to firm... gentle to stern. He never cursed or spoke a harsh word... (although there were many times when such a reaction would have been understood - based on the behaviors of some of us)... he was always calm and balanced.

And, I felt back then, as I do now that I was in the presence of someone special who had something special. One could feel the inner peace and calm of the man, the quietness which emanated from the inside and radiated on the outside: unruffled... unperturbed... gently yet fiercely focused on the task at hand.

And, even now, as I reflect back on those days... so many years ago... when I was sixteen... I can feel his presence.

And I know now... as I felt then, that cricket was really not what thus true sage and gentleman was teaching us...

Cricket was the medium. But the lessons were instructions in life... on how to live life wisely... This is best summarized as follows:

Our character would be weighed -
Not by how many runs we made...
But the way our attitudes and behaviors were displayed
Would determine our long lasting life's grade...

He was demonstrating through his own persona - through his behaviors... through his demeanor... not just how to play on the field of cricket - but how to be in the field of life...

Use sound judgment. Be polite and respectful to others. Act with high character. Be of good conduct.

Without me knowing it... those lessons from Sir Sydney Walling... have resonated through me for over forty years.

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2009-10-12T12:23:00.003-04:00

Our Sage Leaders!

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

There are many fields of study that I love. Chief among them – Philosophy, Psychology, Physics and … Politics. Interesting – Mottley’s Four “P”s!

These days whether I think about Antigua or America – or the rest of the world – all four “P”s stand front and center. However, you will agree that Politics become the main focus. And what is happening on the local, regional and global scale – in Antigua and in America – is disturbing, very disturbing. At least, I am disturbed.

When I am disturbed, I tend to turn first to Philosophy, then to Psychology and sometimes Physics. So because I am disturbed, I turned to one of my principal teachers: Lao Tzu – the ancient Chinese sage and philosopher.

Of course there is not enough space in this brief discourse to do full justice to his teachings on the body ‘politik’. So I will limit myself to one or two of his thoughts on the matter of “politics” that I thing are worthy of note and which relate to current local and global political developments.
First of all as an aside… the ideal country according to Lao Tzu – “is a small country with a few inhabitants!”

That makes sense to me… less people… less strife and conflict… less stress… less immigration! Antigua used to be like that, but our un-sage-like leaders thought it sage to increase our population with people from everywhere – even from China! Now we have more people… more strife and more conflict…

One of Lao Tzu’s central tenets is his belief about the core tendency of human beings is towards degeneration. This, he claimed is an ‘inherent tendency in human nature’. My comment is that his observations are spot on… just look around you… look into your own heart… listen to the radio… watch TV… listen to the news… degeneration all around! Murders, stealing, political corruption, executive greed, war over land and territory, brothers against brothers, sisters against sisters, religious elements against religious elements… all over the world… including Antigua and Barbuda.

So what is his recommendation to deal with this core human tendency towards degeneration? “Political Authorities (call Sages) should be set up to rescue society and bring peace!

But Lao Tzu recognizes that his prescription for peace could be a proscription for more degeneration if we do not have the pure and genuine ‘sages’. Therefore his recommendation is paradoxical… to say the least. I will deal with this paradox in another article since I want to focus on the ‘sages’.

The ‘sages’ should reflect the essence of the ‘Tao’. Now here we have a term that would essential take a long text to fully do justice to. I will try to explain it simply. The Tao is that which is a part of everything… It is said to be analogous to water… is in everything… not necessarily seen as water… yet influences the world around us… and in us. The essence of the Tao is goodness. One other aspect of the Tao is important… it is un- and in-describable!

So our political authorities… or sages… should reflect the Tao. What are some of their characteristics:

They love the people and have as a goal to help people cultivate themselves to reflect the nature of the Tao;
They have no individual wants and desires (so they are not using their position to empower themselves);
They love quietude; And in this they are calm like still water;
Have as a goal to banish the institutions which abuse power and lead to corruption and add to the degeneration of the people;

There are other characteristics – but those are in the same vein… lack of desire for power, deep respect and understanding of nature (the Tao), love and respect for the people and a commitment to banish those institutions and forces that prey on the weaknesses inherent in the people.

So… we need Sage Leaders… in Antigua and in America.

Fortunately, I think we have got rid of two un-sage-like leaders… in Antigua and in America… those two leaders with B’s in their last names.

And we have found two very sage-like leaders – with B’s in their first name: Baldwin Spencer and Barack Obama.

They are both truly as Sage-like as we are likely to ever get! Let's keep, celebrate and give them a chance to lead from their heart.

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Linked to the Pirate of the Caribbean?

2009-07-03T18:39:00.001-04:00

By The Scribe

Many of those people who were formerly associated with the disgraced (and jailed) Pirate of the Caribbean should be shaking in their boots.

Thus far only one person from our shores (the same one who gloated days before the last election that “We (the Reds) caught them (the Blues) with their pants down) has been linked by prosecutors to the disgraced and jailed pirate.

You can rest assured that there are many more linkages and associations to come. All those who got big checks for political and personal favors are now under intense federal prosecutorial scrutiny.

All those big wigs who took their ill-gotten payment from the Prate and used it for personal gain are now under the forensic microscope. These includes: those who bought land and developed personal housing projects; those who bought tracks of government land and have not yet developed them but have kept them shrouded from public view; those who took the money, skimmed some off for local use and slipped the rest to European and Cayman banks; those who cloaked their use of the money through family partners who then developed businesses… all of them and others are now shaking… some like if they have ague…

And some of them are in surprising places… you would never have guessed!

Can you imagine that the Pirate had a red Antiguan and Barbudan passport? How did he get it? Was he an Ambassador? Who gave it to him? Was it official? And if not, well… you ask the other questions.

I know they are shaking… One of the top officials of the red party… one who surprisingly lost a closely fought battle… approached a psychologist in church… in church no less… and wondered out loud if the psychologist would go and see “him”…

“He needs help you know…” I guess that meant that “he” needed professional help from the psychologist… probably counseling for an anxiety disorder. Sleeping pills were obviously not working… nor was the Zoloft, Cymbalta or Xanax working if “he” was taking them! “He” does not need a psychologist… “he” needs a cross between between a priest and a fully competent lawyer. I think “he” already has a Fully competent lawyer.

Am I gloating? No… As a matter of fact after years of reading in this blog about the Pirate of the Caribbean…. and after years of people telling me that he was good for Antigua and Barbuda… and after even I personally and privately thrashed my UPP friends for the on again off again dance with him… I am now saddened. Hence my reason for feeling compelled to post my thoughts on this blog.

This Pirate’s actions have not only brought down his own flagship and fleet, the ripple effect is threatening to drown Antigua and Barbuda also. It will certainly hamstring the Red people who were his benefactors… (I think I have that backward… since so many of them benefitted from his ill-gotten gains).

I am saddened that so many were caught in his web including some of our great heroes, and most of the West Indies cricketing heroes.

And sadly… not a one of them rose a voice of warning… much less protest… not one of them. All of them were on the take… hands out… begging to be bought and then bought body and soul and spirit with illegal gains… Even those who made the right call on South Africa and Apartheid… fell to the wizardry of the Pirate of the Caribbean.

Now… with their names in the mud… many of them have disappeared from the public space. And that saddens me. They and those others…. politicians… government officials… administrators… all need to repent… prostrate themselves before us… ask for forgiveness and then let us move on.

We will forgive you… but you have to ask… no… no…. you have to beg for it.

The damning thing is that the one official so far named by the prosecutors has not uttered a word himself. One elderly person… a psychologist in her own right… had some insight into his silence… “A shame he shame.”

Well he is not alone… that other list is coming. I understand that this second list of ‘potential’ names may reflect some rainbow colors.

Are you listed in it?

“Good Leaders…”

2009-06-09T13:47:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

According to the highly respected management consultant and author Warren Bennis “Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery.”

“’Good’ leaders make people feel that they’re at the heart of things.” Not powerful leaders, not spiritual leaders, not aggressive leaders… but ‘good’ leaders. Now, I don’t think that Bennis’ ‘good’ is a statement about the character of the leader. I think that in this case ‘good’ means effective.

So, forgive me as I take some liberty with Bennis’ words: “Effective leaders make people feel that they’re at the heart of things… not at the periphery.”

Certainly Mahatma Gandhi was an ‘effective’ leader (He was good too – in the other sense). Martin Luther King was an ‘effective’ leader (He was also ‘good’ in the other sense). Nelson Mandela, Golda Meir, Sojourner Truth – all effective leaders…

They made people feel that they were at the very heart of things… not on the periphery. People did not have to wonder about how those leaders felt, what they believed, how they reacted to situations…

Those leaders communicated with the people… continuously.

‘Good’ leaders are not only ‘good’ communicators who communicate with and continuously inform the people. They involve the people… and “make the people feel that they are at the heart of things”.

Involvement: consultation, collaboration, two-way communication and conversations, getting feedback from the people, utilizing the people’s feedback and feeding it forward into public activities, projects and programs… that serve the interests of the people!

“Good Leaders…” I had a hard time coming up with a list of “good leaders” who fit the profile set by Bennis. Yes, most leaders do some of what Bennis describes, but most do not do so consistently. As a matter of fact, most leaders only involve people – or make people feel at the heart of things… when they… the leaders want something or when they are at their ‘wits end’ or in trouble of some sort.

We certainly see a lot of ‘involvement’ and ‘communication’ and ‘interactions with the people’ prior to an election. Lots of it! But as soon as an election is over… most leaders retract back to the same old, same old way of operating.

What’s the same old, same old? High handed behavior; Making decisions that ‘blow gas’ in the people’s face; trying to muzzle the same media that got them elected… not once but twice; Aloofness and “I am better than you-ness”; And, Hobnobbing with a special class or group – ignoring the grass-roots people who elected them.

There is one other way that leaders retract, revert and go backwards: Being silent.

Silence… Not feeling that you have to respond to the questions of the people… Taking matters of public concern… and labeling them ‘private’ matters that would be dealt with privately when they feel like (whenever, if ever.)

In the meantime, the people are left on the periphery of things. Excluded from the decision-making. Excluded from making contributions to their own welfare – to their own future. Purposefully excluded.

Any leader – or group of leaders – who leave people on the periphery and who exclude people from the decision making… and who exclude the ideas of the people… and who dismiss the concerns of the people… will have done so at their own peril.

It is self destructive to leave the people on the periphery of governance.

Yes, there was a time when it took 28 years for the peril to be realized. But those days are done. The world is moving faster these days… and leadership tenure will fall away and dissolve much more quickly.

Therefore, leaders must recognize the fragility of their tenure. The people will not wait another 28 years… As a matter of fact, the way we are going 28 months might be a stretch…

Those leaders who harken back to the olden days and wish they had the kinds of corrupt benefits their predecessors had and their ability to get away with a lot of ‘stuff’ are involving in wishful dreaming. They are now dealing with young people who lack the patience and who will not listen to the spin of these ancestral behaviors. They are dealing with a new Antiguan and Barbudan phenomenon – ordinary people who have extraordinary access to the media… and who use that access everyday.

Rightly or wrongly, historically this is the day of immediate communication; this is the day of speed; this is the day of immediate gratification; this is the day of 20/20 cricket. Action now. Results now.

Five more years of this self-inflicted wounds among the leaders? Not a chance! People will not wait for the pain to be passed down to them.

“Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery.”

When people feel that they are being kept on the periphery… then the leaders themselves are in jeopardy.

So… let’s put the people at the very heart of things. As servants of the people – you answer to us!

As ‘good leaders’ you put us first – at the very heart of everything!

And if you fail to take the people from the periphery into the heart of things… then you run the risk of being put on the periphery yourselves… Ask Lester what that is like… As a matter of fact, just ask some of your own colleagues what that is like!

Leadership is about people.

Rally your mates and lead-the-ship, good Captain. Let’s get back on track – and let us all go in the planned direction.

Beware! The Ground Has Shifted!

2009-06-07T21:27:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

I have experienced an earthquake. As a matter of fact, I have experienced several of them. I remember an earthquake in the 1970’s that shook up Antigua and left people extremely nervous.

That morning I had awakened early and had gone jogging. I had run through Ovals and Ottos and had reached the top of the road below Michaels Mount… just where the Catholic church now stands.

I decided to take a short rest and sat on the steps of the old ‘guard house’ that stood at the bottom entrance to Michael’s Mount. I sat there for a moment admiring and enjoying the beautiful hues and shades that were showing in the eastern sky… above Holberton Hospital… a display of colors that preceded a beautiful sunrise and the promise of a sunny day with blue skies.

As I sat there… dogs from the whole area suddenly began to bark and howl… Then I heard a deep rumble… I noticed that a man who had just passed by had stumbled and fell… another man coming up the road was staggering as if seriously drunk… I looked behind me up the hill and it seemed as if Michael’s Mount was moving back and forth…

I realized that the ground was shifting under my feet… I got up and started to run back home… all the way to King George V grounds.

I think that was 1974… and yes, the ground HAD shifted. We had experienced a strong earthquake! Since then we have experienced many more earthquakes… smaller… less significant… but earthquakes nonetheless.

More recently, Antigua and Barbuda experienced another earthquake. This was an earthquake of shattering proportions! But when it struck… no one realized that it was an earthquake! There were no dogs barking… no shouting… and no one fell – immediately. Back then, no one understood how it would impact our country in a few short years.

This earthquake of which I speak has shifted the ground on which we walk… personally, socially, politically, financially, economically… every which way you can think!

This earthquake has also caused people to fall! As a matter of fact a whole lot of them were shaken up and then fell! They are still trying to catch themselves!

This earthquake achieved for us in a few years what Tim Hector, Baldwin Spencer, Dr. Heath and countless others had not accomplished in 28 years of trying!

What was that earthquake? It was the advent of talk-radio initiated and led by Observer Radio.

Simply put, Observer Radio has allowed the common folk to have their say. It has allowed the voice of a fisherman from Urlings to be heard. It has allowed us to hear a grandmother talk about the education of her grandchildren. It has allowed those without voices to have their say… any time, on any subject, without being shut down or shut up!

That same earthquake sounded the death knell of 28 years of corrupt government for the red party! It ushered in the UPP into power in 2004.

Yes… the ground shifted that day when Observer Radio… opened the phone lines and allowed the voices of the people to be heard – near and far… worldwide!

No longer were we just listening to the politicians with their one sided views. No longer were we forced to listen to political spin without being able to respond. No longer were the politicians the only ones with an audience of many…Now, any Tom, Dick and Harry could… well… have their say.

And it was a good thing. And it still is a good thing.

The ground has shifted… and it will continue shifting.

Political leaders, community leaders, and business leaders can no longer work in the dark… hiding their shenanigans… unanswerable to the people.

They can no longer cloak themselves in their positions of power without having to answer immediately…

It is sad that I have to write this… as I think that the foregoing is obvious to everyone… Everyone that is except a few well placed and well positioned individuals… including policy makers… who still want to operate in the old ways of the old days.

A new day has dawned… we were promised transparency… Well… we demand it. The ground has shifted… we the people demand good governance, responsiveness to the will of the common folk, and transparent leadership and decision making.

These days… there are 70,000 “Outlet” reporters – observing, revealing and reporting… willing and ready and able to call 911 on their cell phones. They are capable of taking a picture or recording a video on the same cell phone… or emailing a ‘dockisment’ to a popular radio host… And they will do those things… and have done those things… And will continue…

The ground has shifted… the power is in the hands of the people…

1974 is history. Yet there are those who harken back and wish they could get away today… with the behaviors that those people got away with yesterday…

But beware– the ground has shifted… the power has shifted and continues to shift in the direction of the people.

For that we thank those who allow the voices of the people to be heard.

I Am Struggling

2009-06-05T11:13:00.001-04:00

Ministers Doing As They Like… Even the Unelected Ones!!!

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D

Years ago when I started this Blog, my intention was not only to support the UPP – but to hold their feet to the fire too. I was determined not to be one of those blind supporters who make excuses for bad leadership, incompetent governance, poor decision making or, at the very worse, corruption and malfeasance in public office.

Today… right now… I am at a crossroads. I am here at this nexus because I am struggling.

Why am I struggling?

I am losing confidence. I am losing patience. I am losing my respect for many of the ministers. Correction. I have lost respect for several of the ministers. And for many others, my respect is waning… like a candle with the wick shortening… the flame slowing dying.

I am struggling.

The recent public disunity, publicly displayed by that minister who attempted to humiliate the political leader, and who got his way… even after sprinkling aspersions on his colleagues… is one example of the many things that are causing me to struggle.

The public infighting among ministers, the veiled and unveiled threats to slither over to the other side, is prompting me to re-examine the reasons why I support the UPP.

And… the hundreds of little smoky rumors that keep popping up about corrupt behaviors… are enough to give me pause. Where there is smoke – there is fire. I don’t buy the reaction from UPP die-hards that this is just ALP propaganda. I believe that some on the UPP side have contributed enough to stoke the fires.

And now… the infighting and the conflict and the dislike (bordering on downright hatred among them) has erupted into concrete and visible actions by at least one minister. One minister heaping disrespect on another. One junior minister… not a member of parliament… given a ministry as a sympathetic gesture by a sympathetic Prime Minister… has rewarded his leader with a gross action of disrespect on his colleague and senior minister – and on the Prime Minister who put him there.

What in the world am I talking about?

Well… this might never hit the news… so I am exposing it right here.

A Junior Minister has kicked a department of a senior minister out of the building where the staff is located.

Now… a junior minister … an unelected minister … but… yes an appointed Junior Minister who reports to… or who is supposed to report to the a senior Minister… an elected minister… This junior unelected minister has unilaterally decided to throw out a department which he no longer supervises from a building in which he is housed. And he has done this in defiance of the direct orders from his senior Minister… the Minister who supervises him… And the senior Minister personally advised him… directed him… that he could not take any such action.

But he prevailed in that he has not only defiantly decided to throw the Department out of the building where he occupies the second floor… He personally took it on himself to go down to the first floor and pack up their things… disconnect their phones and computers… and internet and told them to get going.

The problem is that they have nowhere else to go. A whole department of Government. Packed up… displaced… told to get out of the building which the Government pays for and where they have been housed for over four years.

The irony is that until 10 weeks ago, this was his department… a department which he supervised, dictated to… and benefited from their high profile policy initiatives. But yesterday, he threw them out of the building which he shared with them.

Why? Who knows? Some people think that he has a grudge against his senior minister… who the rumor mill says that he partly blames for the connection to one of Antigua’s piratical power players. (I will write on this in an upcoming article – watch out for it).

Whatever his reason, this junior minister is out of control. He is displaying a side of him that only those close to him are rumored to know: Young and vindictive; Sully and unresponsive when critiqued; Pious on a certain day and cynically obnoxious on every other day after that; Vengeful, spiteful and resentful; passive aggressive; and in many hidden ways… according to those who know – praetorian, payolan, and liking and organizing perqusites…

Whatever the case, this is dirty… dirty politics within the Government – one colleague on another… one person bent on wreaking vengeance for some unspoken perceived offence against him…

To punish a department… to curtail their ability to serve the people of Antigua and Barbuda… to prevent them from doing what they are paid to do… to kick them out of a building he doesn’t own or control… and to do so himself… demonstrates and signifies a man out of control.

Indisciplined. Uncompliant. Disregard for the primacy of the people’s business over his own ruffled feathers. Dereliction of his duty to be a responsible minister of government… and so irresponsible. A revolt against his Senior Minister and against the Prime Minister. Unruly and rebellious.

Childish and immature.

And the scary thing is… this case… is just the latest of a lot of skirmishes and undercover battles that are being fought throughout the UPP.

So let me end with a question… Where is the leadership? Who is keeping these Ministers in check? Who is captaining the ship?

Mr. Prime Minister – your visible and obvious leadership is needed! Right now! Forget about democracy in Cabinet. You need to lay down the law… or let some heads roll. Or probably let some heads roll and then lay down the law!

If you need help… there are thousands of Antiguans and Barbudans who are willing and ready and able to step up to the plate to do whatever needs to be done.

The ship is not heading in the right direction! You are the Captain… you need to dis-appoint some of your mates… we need steady hands on the wheel… not inflated egos.

Mr. Prime Minister take charge now!

If not, this ship will sink. You are already losing members. You are losing passengers. You are losing supporters. You might even be losing friends…

You need to publicly, decisively and emphatically take charge. Now!

If not…

A Thumb in My Eye!

2009-05-21T10:36:00.002-04:00

By Mshaka

We heard today that the Minister got his wish: As the new Minister, he will move into new headquarters in a new noice building.

This is the same new nice building which was purported to have been priced at an annual rental sum of $800,000 per year that caused a loud, vociferous and passionate outcry by people from all strata of society... and from both sides of the political divide.

Now our Cabinet has decided that the Minister will get his new building… even in the face of the continuing opposition of the people including very loyal, dyed in blue supporters.

They decided that the old building needs fixing and that the renovations will take six months to complete. They decided that the new Minister in his new ministry will be housed in his new building for six months – or until the renovation of the old building is complete… Although they did not state that the new Minister in his new ministry would have to return to the old renovated building when it is finished… the unstated implication seems to be just that. Or does it?

We shall wait and see.

In the meantime, the new Minister has his new building as he desired. Now it is ironic that he only understood that the old building was not good enough for the Ministry since HE took up that Ministry. Apparently, it was good enough for the past Minister… or that seemed to be the indication when the New Minister was the old Minister who in his old capacity of fixing buildings... failed to and refused to do anything about the same old building which he now refuses to work in. But that is fodder for the mill.

What is more important is that Cabinet, our Cabinet, the people’s Cabinet, UPP’s Cabinet has thumbed its nose at the concerns of the people and has bent to the pressure and acquiesced to the will of the new Minister in his new ministry so that he could get his noice new building with noice new furniture.

The Cabinet has not only thumbed its nose at the people, it has also dug that thumb in the eyes of the people. At least, that is my opinion.

Now the Cabinet also decided that in the current economic climate, it would only pay ‘market rates’ for buildings that it rents.

Huh? What? Did I hear that right? So in other words, in other economic conditions it would pay higher rates?Ah... non-market rates? With gravy on the side?

Now, I also understand that since the rate per square foot has gone down to the ‘market rate’, the square footage of the building has increased! What? Yes… I personally know someone who tried to rent that building and was given a certain rate… at least 60% less than that infamous $800,000 per year. And the square footage of the building was said to be in the 4000 sq. ft range. Yes. Two thousand feet on the first floor… and two thousand feet on the second floor.

Since the ‘market rate’ has decreased, I understand that the square footage has increased… to 7000 square feet and counting…

But my guess is that the Ministry of Public Works will do its due diligence and verify the actual square footage of the building. At, least I hope so.

The more egregious, outrageous and very troubling factor however, is the fact that the Cabinet bowed to the bullying of the man who likes noice things. Not only did they bow to his bullying, they allowed a blatant and disrespectful thumb in the eyes of the Prime Minister to go un-addressed. The bully not only got his way with his noice building, he got away with his very purposeful and public insulting act to the Prime Minister.

Not only did he disrespect his Prime Minister, he implicated his own colleagues in questionable behaviors and activities.

So here his my question: These are the same members of the Cabinet, his own colleagues... who he implicated in questionable behaviors and the same Prime Minister that he insulted…

So... why did they agree to bow to his very public bullying tactics? What is it that they know and he knows that we the public don’t know? What is it that is hidden from our view?

What is it that we are not seeing… and cannot see? If this is transparency... then I can't see it.

I feel thumbed in the eye… first by the Minister… and now by the Cabinet...

Are We Ready?

2009-05-19T14:00:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

In the past five years we have seen major crises hit many countries around the world. These crises include hundreds of thousands of deaths and billions of dollars of devastation due to the Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita (in the USA, Central America & Mexico), and the Pakistan Earthquake. In addition to those natural calamities, countries around the world are faced with an increase in terrorist acts and serious criminal activities which threaten their populations.

The countries which experienced these natural and manmade disasters were unprepared for the scope of the death, destruction and large scale human suffering that followed. This is quite evident as the world watched in horror at the incompetence, poor logistical coordination, inadequate decision making and woeful preparation exhibited in the Gulf States of Louisiana, Mississippi and even Texas.

Although Caribbean countries like Antigua and Barbuda have largely been spared the death and devastation from natural or manmade disasters, it is a certainty that they are at risk. In recent years Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba suffered severe damages due to hurricanes which are the bane of our existence here in this region of the world.

There are other dangers which threaten the world’s landscape including the Caribbean. These include HIV-AIDS which according to many reports is already at unacceptably high levels in some Caribbean territories. But, the threat of the H5NI virus, or Bird Flu, and the new threat of the H1N1 – Swine Flu virus is a potential pandemic waiting to happen. Many experts believe that the issue is not ‘if’ but ‘when’.

With the potential for such disasters to be unleashed on our shores, Antigua and Barbuda might not be as prepared as we could be to respond quickly and resourcefully in order to protect our citizens and limited the fall out!

The questions that countries like Antigua & Barbuda must ask are these:

1. Are we prepared to handle serious natural disasters, terrorist acts of violence, and pandemics like the ‘Bird Flu’ and ‘Swine Flu’?

2. Are we prepared to handle the medical, psychological, economic, ecological and financial impacts of such disasters?

3. Do we have the logistical capabilities in place now to respond to such disasters?

4. Do we have resource stockpiles in place?

5. Do we have highly trained command and control personnel to lead response, stabilization and recovery activities?

6. Do we have a plan in place now to trigger a multi-agency response to disasters?

7. Do we have alternative communication systems in place to share information with our citizens in the advent of a breakdown in the current communications infrastructure?

The above questions point to a need to boost our capacities and abilities to ably respond before, during and after any natural or man-made disaster.

Here are some other questions:

What is the scope of our current logistical capabilities to respond to such disasters?
What types of resource stockpiles do we have in place, how extensive are they and what conditions are they in?
Do we have a plan in place now to trigger a multi-agency response to disasters?
What is the state of common understanding among the various agencies regarding their responsibilities during a natural disaster or emergency event?
What communications mechanisms are in place to bring multi-agency heads together for rapid decision making?
Who is responsible for convening multi-agency meetings, trainings and forums? Have these meetings taken place? What decisions have been made? What multi-agency agreements are in place?
To what extent do we have alternative communication systems in place to share information with our citizens in the event of a breakdown in the current communications infrastructure? To what extent do we have communication equipment in place where agencies can communicate across different platforms in an environment where normal systems (like telephones) have been disrupted?
What is the state of preparedness in Barbuda? What is the capacity of the infrastructure (hospitals, electrical power, communication, law enforcement, food) in Barbuda to respond to and deal with a major disaster? What is the capacity of the infrastructure (for example: communication & transportation) in Antigua to respond to a major disaster in Barbuda?
Who and/or what triggers the deployment of multi-agency mechanisms, resources, personnel, etc?
During an emergency who is the command/control czar? Does this position carry the ability of the individual to command and control across ministries and departments and over public and private sector agencies?

The questions posed here are even more important as we consider the importance of tourism to our economy. Undoubtedly, it is crucial that we have the mechanisms in place to protect our citizens and our economic infrastructure.

It is also important that we are able to convince those who visit our shores and current and prospective foreign investors that our twin island state is safe and secure, and that we have the infrastructure in place to respond to life threatening and economically damaging emergencies. We must convince them that we have a high capacity of preparedness and responsiveness.

Are we ready?

The hypothesis underlying this article is that we are not. The answers to the questions posed herein are needed quickly. I propose that the Antigua and Barbuda Government find answers to these questions, then determine, develop and implement the critical solutions that may need to be put in place.

Subsequent to that critically needed response I propose that the Government establish and appoint a proven and capable individual to lead the multi-agency task force whose responsibility would be to ensure our continued high level of readiness.

Public Response Needed – Now!

2009-05-17T16:28:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

UPP is facing a very public matter that should be publicly addressed in a very public way now. This of course is the issue in the last article involving the so-called private matter involving the now infamous new building which was rented or promised to be rented to host the Ministry of Health and Social Transformation.

The public will not wait for the UPP executives’ slow private deliberations to unfold. This public matter has already taken on a life of its own. It has already spread like a virus and is infecting everyone in Antigua and Barbuda. It has already spread through cyperspace…. and it has done so without a whisper from the UPP (well maybe a few private hush hush whimpers.)

It seems to me that the leadership of the UPP does not understand the modern era of communication. You cannot claim a public matter to be a private matter.

There are no private matters anymore! None. Zero.

You have got to respond… and respond quickly.

As a matter of fact… forget responding… You must be out in front of the story… before it is released.

The UPP knew of the story – long before the media did… long before any of us did. The UPP should have led the story… made it public… shaped it in the public’s mind… Put their own spin and interpretation on it. They should have dealt with it and then told us how they had dealt with it. (Or at least told us how they were dealing with it.) And then leave others to respond.

Instead… the UPP is behind. The story is growing… spreading like a cybercancer. Revelations (true and false) are spreading through the airways and through cyperspace.

And still, the UPP executives have not responded… other than arrogantly claiming the right to privacy and the right to respond ‘in due course.’

Not in today’s world. Mark my words. The arrogance of silence and ‘due course’ will be your undoing and potentially your death knell…

The modern UPP was born of public commentary…. it was born of public discourse… it is the beneficiary of talk radio… And, UPP loved it five years ago. Absolutely loved it.

You can’t hate it now. Silence on a public matter of public concern is like gasoline to a fire. Anything and everything will fill the void… and has… and continues to as I write this article…

UPP must respond now… quickly and thoroughly…

Address the matter. Make a decision. Settle it. And tells us about it.

Now!

Private Matter?

2009-05-17T16:14:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

The current issue facing the nation, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the United Progressive Party is NOT “a private matter of public concern.”

The issue at hand regarding the decision of the Minister of Health to propose to rent an $800,000 per year building without the express approval of the Cabinet is a very Public matter of Public concern.

The fact that there there is a sign – a very public sign – saying – The Ministry of Health and Social Transformation – on that building right now… as I write this article is testimony to the fact that this is now a building slated to be used for public purposes and secured for such use by public funds… and that is a public matter of which the public is concerned.

The fact that the Minister would consider paying $800,000 per year for a small building in these economically trying times is a public matter of public concern.

The fact that it is said that new furniture was wanted… and that the current furniture in the current old building was ‘not nice enough’ is a public matter of public concern in these belt-tightening days.

The fact that the Minister would consider paying so much for this building when the ministry is already housed in a solidly constructed building is a public matter of public concern.

OK… so the building needs upgrading. Yes it needs work… which was not done when – some contend – that he could have fixed it when he was Minister of Public Works. Be that is as it may… Yes, the building… the current building… the one down by the wharf needs to be refurbished. But… Public Works has said that it can upgrade and remodel that building while the Ministry continues to occupy it. This is done world wide. Making a decision to rent an $800,000 per year building… when you are already housed in one does not make sense – even in the best of economic times. But certainly… definitely… not in these times of financial distress for all.

That decision is a public matter for public concern.

And then, to resign from the pre-eminent position of Deputy Prime Minister because the populace took him to task… Such resignation from public office by a public official… and doing so very publicly… is a public matter of public concern.

To publicly resign without privately consulting the Prime Minister is a public matter of public concern.

To claim that the reason for the resignation is the lack of support… I guess the lack of public support by the Prime Minister for the private decision to rent the building… such claimed lack of support is a public matter for public concern since the Minister himself made the ‘lack of support’ a public matter for public consumption.

And, more importantly, to claim lack of support for a unilateral action… when there was possibly advice that such action should not have been taken… and possibly advised prior to the action being taken… and possibly advised officially not so to do… and then doing so regardless… blatantly and purposefully… and big-headedly… and then to claim lack of support… such action – blatant and purposeful – is a public matter of public concern.

Who in their right minds could support such an unsupportable action? And based on the response of the people… such support if it had been forthcoming… would have been political suicide for anyone who supported such a blatantly thoughtless action… and such support – coming from any quarter – would have been a public matter of public concern.

To bring this issue to the fore, and to compound this issue with a pouting letter of resignation, in these politically turbulent times, when the opposition is feeling their oats and wagging their tales, and fully knowing the impact of such resignation, and fully knowing the media attention that such an action would draw, and fully recognizing the threat to the party…. these are public matters of public concern.

Fully knowing that this matter – yes a matter of feelings of private hurt… of private thoughts of being put on the sidelines… Fully knowing that when these private feelings of hurt when brought before the public…. would send the party in a tail spin… just to soothe private feelings of hurt… that could have been settled with private meetings… and private discussions… and private negotiations… but instead aired publicly by a pouting letter of resignation – purposefully aired publicly – giving UPP’s enemies mouth watering opportunities for gleeful UPPmanship… triggered by a pouting unhappy Minister – Allllll this…. all of it… are public matters of public concern!

And because it was done publicly, and purposefully, for some questionable, not well thought out unpolitical strategy, it has damaged the credibility of the Minister and the Party… with the in-letter public revelations… and public questions which in the public’s mind might have resultingly raised questions about the integrity of colleagues… pouting because he was caught by the public and questioned by the public over a very public personal un-Cabinet decision to use public funds to rent a building that was not needed… Because he was caught by the public – has lashed out and has made this issue the #1 issue of public concern.

And finally, with unintended rumours (I can’t believe that this seasoned and wily veteran would have purposefully and intentionally threatened to cross the aisle) that he might cross the political divide… there can be no question that this is a very public matter – most certainly of public concern.

So… Mr. Chairman… this is not a private matter… not for the UPP and not for the people of Antigua and Barbuda. Certainly the UPP can chose to address it in the public domain whenever they like… That is your private option on this public matter of public concern.

Private matter? Nope! This is a very public matter that is of public concern to all of us.

Privately – my advise to the UPP is that it should address it now – publicly! Or pay a huge very public and political price… and such a public price will affect a lot of people publicly and privately!

A Tribute to a Special Mother

2009-05-13T10:46:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Last Sunday was Mothers’ Day. I would like to pay tribute to mothers everywhere and to one mother in particular.

To do that I am sharing a reworked passage from my book (Ask, Seek, Knock) and combining it with a ‘bit’ from one of my keynote addresses.

Have there been times in your life when you thought that the difficulties, problems and challenges were just too much to overcome?

Well, there are times in my life… when things are tough and rough…

And, there have been times in the past when few things seem to be going well… when I wondered what was around the corner? How would I make it? What could I do? Would things change? When?

There have been times when doubt and worry clouded my every thought.

When those times surface… I turn to the memory of a woman and her struggles and how she handled them.

She was a woman who was desperate. She had no skills. She had few resources. She worked as a maid and was paid about three dollars a week. She was a stranger in a strange land (Antigua)... and had no one to help her.

And she had a young child to take care of...

She prayed and sought guidance "What can I do? What's possible? How can I do it?”… And then, in the midst of her asking and praying… she got an inspiration ... “What if…”

She took her last few dollars and bought a small suitcase, as well as some trinkets - some combs, brushes, scarves, cheap perfumes (like Cush Cush), etc.

Then every Sunday she would travel through the countryside... trudging from village to village... selling her products... From English Harbour to Falmouth to Liberta to New Village. From Crabbs Hill to Johnson’s Point to Urlings… and even sometimes walking to Old Road. Round South one Sunday… then in St. Paul’s the next…

Every Sunday, whether cold or rainy, hot, humid or windy ... she would knock on the doors of every house, every hut... approach every villager...

Every Sunday, she would sell, loan, and barter her goods.

And as Sundays, came and went, she built her customer base, developed new friends and acquaintances… Like Mr. Hector and Ms. Minta from Liberta, Ms. Dayliss from Urlings, The Tonges from Johnson’s Point, Mrs. Christopher from New Village.. and hundreds more.

Her business developed… and she was able build a small house… in Perry Bay…

And, with the money she made… she sent her son to one of the best private schools in the country …

This woman… a stranger in a strange land... with no one to turn to… But to her higher power and her inner character…

With strong belief and faith that things not seen can become a reality…

She did not make a living – she built, created and developed a life…

With one hand holding her suitcase... and the other hand draped around the shoulders of her young son...

She had an optimistic and vibrant attitude towards life and a powerful belief that:

You can get what you want…
You can overcome difficulties…
You can triumph over trouble…
How: Ask powerful questions… and you shall receive!
Seek creative answers and solutions… and you shall Perceive!
Knock and take decisive, relentless action… and you shall achieve!

Today, May 13, 2009, my Mother, Hyacinth Mottley is 95 years old. To her, I pay tribute with thanks and gratitude for giving me life and love – and everything else!

Listen Not to The Messenger

2009-05-13T08:14:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

I have long had mixed feelings about the dictate: “Listen to the Message… not to the Messenger.” One of the reasons that I have struggled with this dictate is that it really says that you should not listen to the messenger. Why did I struggle? Well… if you don’t listen to the messenger – how can you hear the message?

So… OK… I will admit that underlying this dictate is the notion that the message is important … not the messenger… and so we should not focus on the messenger. But, I have struggled with that also.

Today… I struggle no longer… at least when it comes to messages from certain politicians. “Don’t listen to the messenger.”

Don’t listen to the messenger!

For example, I tried to listen to politicians from the red party as they charged that UPP politicians and ministers were involved in corrupt practices. Now… without judging the merit of their charges… I was flabbergasted… dumbfounded… stunned… not necessarily by the charges but by who was leveling the charges.

A member on the red side… known to have taken money from that a so-called investor… known to have used that money to develop their own personal housing projects… known to have enriched themselves with money from a disgraced con-man and Pirate. Known. No guessing. The disgraced Pirate said that he gave them the money…. and tendered a minimum amount that he had given.

This individual – on public radio – had the gall to charge UPP politicians with the same crimes that he is guilty of.

Certified corrupt! I tried to listen to him… and said to myself… this is crazy… somewhere between borderline, histrionic or narcissistic – certainly there is need for a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis!

Another member on the red side… known to have failed in his leadership… known to have failed to pay civil servants… known to have emptied the coffers of State Insurance and Social Security and other statutory bodies such that those companies don’t have the money to fulfill their obligations to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.

A failed leader…. pompous in his obvious failure… has the audacity to ask us to forget his failures… with the audacity to question the leadership of the current Prime Minister.

A certified failed leader who long before the current global financial crisis… almost ran our country bankrupt by his inept, incompetent, pompous and bombastic leadership.

The audacity of these people… asking us to forget their massive failures of leadership over twenty-eight years.

I will not hear their message because I will not listen to them.

Why Now?

2009-05-12T22:14:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

There are several issues which currently have the undivided attention of Antiguans and Barbudans. One of those issues involves the state of affairs within the UPP.

Some people think that the current ‘troubles’ within the party were triggered by the Minister’s resignation from the position of Second-in-Command. Those people are wrong. The ‘troubles’ were brewing long before the last election. There were rumours flying around (or being spread around) the airways that a post election coup was certain if the UPP were returned to power.

Then, UPP won the election by a razor thin margin. So since some (or one) of the rumored pretenders to the throne were themselves dethroned by a significant ALP politician… it was thought by many that the parliamentary members would now pull themselves together – form a tight unit – and really get back on the right track!

No such luck. First, we heard that the ALP leaders were in ‘secret’ discussions with some of the disgruntled UPP members of parliament – attempting to get them to switch allegiance. The word got out and that seemed to throw dirty water on those coals. Again some people thought… well… now… the UPP leaders know they have work to do... right inside their own party. As a matter of fact… people thought that certainly… they would get on the right track – starting inside the Cabinet!

Again… no such luck… because now we hear that the disgruntled gentleman resigned claiming lack of support by the Chief Servant. Well… it doesn’t sound to me as if the disgruntled gentleman’s feelings of being disgruntled started with the issues over that new building… The disgruntlement began several years ago…

So, why now? Why now?

A. Does the slim margin of UPP victory offer an opportune moment for some hard hand-twisting within the party?

B. Is it time to scare them a bit? “Let them worry about whether or not I will walk away… or walk over the bridge… to the other side.”

C. Or is it real? Is it payback time? “I deserve better treatment. It started in my living room. And, I like nice things… so I deserve to be in a better building. I am the second in command. I deserve nice things… like that office up on the hill… What happen to me? Why I can’t get something like that too?”

D. Or is there a more sinister reason than any of the above? Is there a hidden hand in the background? Is there a hidden puppet master… pulling the strings? Remember Antigua still has one more million million puppeteer left. (The other one – the Pirate – has his own ‘troubles’ in the USA).

The current puppeteer rents buildings to the government and the party, sells ‘power’ to the government, sells cars to the government, sells chip stones to the government… and on and on. This puppeteer has a hand (and a word) in everything that the Government touches (and direct and personal representation right inside the governing inner-sanctum – Still has representation – though not direct and personal!).

So is this puppeteer pulling the strings in this matter?

E. Were those rumors true that some members would agitate for a change in leadership after the elections? Is this current move an outcome of the frustration of having to face another five years in the background – Second-in-Command in name only?

F. Or… to be fair… is this just what it seems to be… the complaints of a disgruntled politician?

So, why now? What do you think?

And more importantly… what will it take to change the course of things and take them back on the right track… and going in the right direction?

The Fall of A Pirate!

2009-04-29T12:36:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley

It is humbling. I was right. All those years of quietly and publicly criticizing Antigua’s so-called billionaire. All those years of castigating the Pirate of the Caribbean who lived in Antigua. All those years of going against the tide… when most people in Antigua… and indeed… throughout the Caribbean were enamored with him. All those years of being careful not to expose myself to the possibility of litigious retribution… but still ‘having my say’ and writing from the heart.

About five years ago I watched as the Pirate humbled an Antiguan (now a diplomat) who had similarly castigated him. The Pirate started legal proceedings against him. And in an infamous televised event, that Antiguan (who lives abroad) was forced ‘to eat crow’ in return for the Pirate’s withdrawal of the legal proceedings which he had started. In public… televised… that proud Antiguan stalwart supporter of the new government… in the presence of top political leaders… was forced to swallow his pride (well – it appeared that way), almost like he was begging pardon – shook the Pirate hand!

I have never forgotten that day. That was the moment when I knew… really knew… that the Pirate had to be fought and had to be brought to his knees. Now let me hasten to say that I had no hand in bringing him down… But I wished that I did! If I had the opportunity I would have.

In any case, the headlines speak to the reality of the fall that this once financial tyrant, the usurper who tried to bring our politicians to their knees (like he did that Antiguan), the individual who fed the corruption of many of our politicians. (Yes – many! – Most on the red side… but at least one on the blue side.)

“Tarnished tycoon is left ‘living on charity’”.
“No money to defend himself.”
”Homeless – living with 30 year old fiancee.”

Homeless?

Allegiance to Queen Elizabeth?

2009-04-28T08:37:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

I am disconcerted… flabbergasted… totally upset by what I heard yesterday!

“I ‘……’ Solemnly swear that I will faithfully bear true allegiance to Queen Elizabeth the second, her heirs and successors… according to law.”

I thought that there was a law in the constitution of Antigua and Barbuda that prohibits anyone from seeking to be elected as a parliamentary representative or serving as a Senator if that person has sworn allegiance to another country.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Constitution says that “No person shall be qualified to be appointed as a Senator (or to be elected as a member of the House) who by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement or allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”

Yesterday, I watched as person after person, swore their allegiance to the Queen of England! ‘By virtue of their own act’ all of them swore their allegiance to the head of a foreign state.

I was flabbergasted. And then I was upset and then… even angry. Why? Well… I cannot be appointed a senator. I cannot seek to be elected to the House. Although I am a born and bred Antiguan… and although I lived thirty-five of my years in Antigua… and although I continue to live and pay taxes in Antigua… and although from time to time I work in Antigua and contribute to the development of my country… I cannot be named a senator. I cannot seek to be elected to the House.

Why? Because I am a citizen of the United States of America. Just like Lester Bird. The difference they say… is because “By my own act” I swore allegiance to a foreign power or state!

So… Yesterday… I was flabbergasted when I heard all of those individuals… about to be appointed senators… swore allegiance to the Queen of England!

Today… I am still flabbergasted… maybe even more so!

Yes… I guess that I should have known. I guess that I have ignored listening to the swearing in ceremonies of the past.

But today… the hypocrisy of it… is unbearable. It is mindboggling that you can swear allegiance to the sons and daughters of those who enslaved your fore-parents…. who built their empires on that enslavement… And whose country today is rich because of their enslavement of my great grandparents. It is upsetting that today… in 2009, you proudly swear allegiance not only to them but to their heirs and successors…

And the hypocrisy of it is that in the same breath you tell me… a born and bred Antiguan… that I cannot hold such high office because I chose to similarly swear allegiance to ‘a foreign power’.

Of course this is only one of the hypocrisies. The fact that Lester Bird could not only be elected as a parliamentarian but can hold the highest office of the land is a hypocrisy that could only have been foisted on us by a Machiavellian mind… probably that of the man he is heir to. Who… recognizing that his son was born abroad… that he had to insert… that a person who swears allegiance to a foreign power “By his own act” and not because he was born in a foreign land.

So like Lester Bird, Alan Stanford – the disgraced financial pirate - (maybe even Data Tan and John Alan Muhammad – the DC sniper… after the ridiculously short qualification period) could not only be appointed as senators, they could be elected as parliamentarians and they could even serve (a la Lester Bird) as Prime Ministers in this land of ours.

This land of ours… Ours? Not according to those senators who swore in yesterday.. According to them this is the land of the Queen of England… and of course this land – her land - will naturally fall to “her heirs and successors”!

Let me serve notice. I am an enemy of this law. I am going to fight this law… this and any other law that disenfranchises me as an Antiguan… a born and bred Antiguan… of my birthright. Unlike Lester Bird, I have no birthright in the United States of America. My birthright, which I did not give up… by any act… is mine forever. No law will take that away.

This is the first time that I am writing on this… an issue on which I have had strong feelings… feelings too strong to even articulate… until now! This is just the beginning.

I do not serve the Queen… I never swore any allegiance to any Queen or King or heirs or successors.

But yesterday… I heard all those Antiguans… appointed to be Senators… “by their own acts”, out of their own mouths… “Solemnly swear that they will faithfully bear ‘true’ allegiance to Queen Elizabeth the Second, and her heirs and successors” – therefore… forever and ever more!

I am going to work to end that!

If I can’t swear allegiance to the US… then you can’t swear allegiance to the descendants of the purveyors of slavery and crimes against the my great grand parents.

We must swear allegiance to the people of Antigua and Barbuda through our Constitution… and not to serve any master or mistress from anywhere… not even if the individual was from Antigua and Barbuda!

God Save Fair Antigua and Barbuda!

From Captain to Cook

2009-04-27T10:58:00.001-04:00

By Sojourner

If there is one thing this economic recession should do for us here in Antigua and Barbuda, it is that we should look at how we view productivity in the public sector. The recession should help us do some should soul searching around our performance at work and the quality of the services we provide. Most importantly, no where should we benefit more from this collective introspection than from the examination of the Civil Service… and Civil Servants.

Just a few days ago the Government through its Ministry of Finance issued a declaration with respect to austerity measures that the Government and its agencies must take in order to survive these hard economic times. As hard as these measures may seem, the reality is that the Government is not taking in the kinds of revenues that are needed to sustain it. It does not have money to meet its expenses and to manage and carry out its programmes. It is having difficulties delivering on basic services. Therefore, some drastic measures must be taken: No hiring, no new contracts, no unnecessary spending and we must cut back on overtime.

Be that as it may, the reality is that Government must continue to be in business… it cannot declare bankruptcy… it cannot shut down for a month or two… and it cannot close all its offices. Teachers must teach… the police must walk their beat… sanitation workers must collect trash… And so instead of shutting down, the Government needs to seriously look at its operation and ask some very hard questions. Do we need this? What value do we derive from that? Do we need to cut here and then trim there?

For one thing, someone needs to look at the Civil Service objectively! Someone needs to lay things out schematically. How does the whole thing fit together? How does this agency/department /unit/division fit into the national development plan? What is its mandate? What is the present staff complement? Does each Civil Servant have a job description that fits into the department’s mandate? Do we have more people in a unit than necessary? What skills are needed in the department, and how does the present staff complement measure up? How are staff members performing and producing? What does each officer, from captain to cook, from permanent secretary to petty office - bring to the table? How many ‘officers’ does this unit or department really need? How many of the officers now employed put in an honest day’s work for their pay? How many of them fit the positions that they are in?

I propose that when such questions are asked… and honestly answered, it becomes clear what must be done.

I admit that this is a herculean task, and the individuals who are involved in the process must have armor like an armadillo. But desperate times deserve desperate measures… And, no one can doubt that these are desperate times… And desperate measures are needed NOW! As a matter of fact… these measures are long, long, long overdue...

Some departments/divisions/units must go… They must be made redundant. Some of them simply do not serve any useful purpose, and now in these hard times… they represent a luxury we cannot afford. That may seem difficult to fathom… what audacity some might say! But when we look at the Civil Service, you have to wonder why a particular unit or department exists.
Reduce the wage Bill… Cut staff!

In our labour sensitive culture that may be political suicide. But this is one step that has to be – must be taken.

The voluntary severance initiative was a humongous failure. This time we need to use more direct means of cutting staff… As a matter of fact… this time we need to cut the right staff members. The Civil Service is stuffed and packed like old-time sardine cans with ‘dead beats’- persons who are on the pay roll, but do nothing but show up to work, put in a few hours and at the end of the month or week they stretch their hands for the reward. And there are claims that we still have ghost workers on our payrolls.

The truth is that Government pays out millions of dollars (reportedly over EC$30 Million dollars per month) for work not done... to people not seen. The truth also is that government pays people to be lazy, to be inefficient, and to be absent from the job. There is no accountability… and there are no consequences. There is no dressing up this truth. And these dead beats – who are unaccountable and unaccounted for - are all over the system, clogging it up like old grease and gunk in a kitchen sink!

These dead beats can be found working as permanent secretaries, as directors, as accountants, as SEOs, as PASs; as Secretaries; as clerks, as petty officers, as cleaners, as drivers; as teachers; as police; and as nurses. They are technocrats and bureaucrats; they are consultants and special assistants; they are front line staff and “Top of the line” staff. They are everywhere. And continuing to pay these people is where Government is wasting a considerable amount of money... millions of dollars – each month.
It stands to reason, therefore, that Government can save much by the proper management of its labour force:

1. Performance appraisals are a must.

2. Each Ministry must conduct a human resource audit. It must assess and examine its staffing needs and determine the criteria for each staffing position.

3. Stream lining of departments so that there is adequate staff tooled with the necessary skills to do the task. This may mean that some officers will be transferred to areas where they would or could be more productive;

4. Productivity and accountability should be core values and ingrained into the ethos of public service;

5. A comprehensive training programme must be developed to tool the public sector to fulfill the Government’s mandate of national development and effectively deliver its programmes.

6. Trimming the fat… Cutting those workers that are not needed, who do not add value and who do not work (yes there are many of these);

7. Workers who have been found to be undermining the policies of the Government must be cut as well. And there are many of those too…..everywhere from captain to cook.

So our leaders have some hard decisions to make.

In reality, those hard decisions should have been made decades ago. But former administrations either did not have the courage or political will to so. And in the case of the Labour administration, they used the Civil Service as a political tool to get elected and re-elected. They also used this system of human resource mis-management to reward their political surrogates and hangers-on.

The current economic crisis has put all that behind us. If the current administration fails to act, Antigua will crash… harder than the Dow Jones stock market did!

It is important to recognize that these problems present us with hidden opportunities. This worsening economic problem has presented our leaders with the opportunity to make and foster significant changes… not just for this moment – but for the future… Not just in policies – but in practices and processes… not just in certain places… but everywhere…

Not just with the labourers, cleaners and messengers within the Civil Service… but from the top… From Captain to Cook!

The Need for Speed

2009-04-20T23:50:00.001-04:00

Political Leaders Must Master the Art of Speed!

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Today the nation of Antigua and Barbuda is threatened on several fronts. On one front there is the problem of immigration… of foreign nationals moving from there (wherever) to here in order to find and make a better life. On another front we have the energy crisis with our dependence on expensive fossil fuels. Then there is the historical problem we face with our water supply (some people have forgotten that this is a perennial problem). And, of course, there is the global financial meltdown that is affecting us not on one front – but on all fronts.

There never has been a time in our history when so much was demanded of our political leaders. The changes we face… and the challenges we confront demand aggressive, assertive, visionary and courageous decision making from the top. But something else is needed… something more fundamental… speed!

My 94 year old mother tells me that when she was a young girl, an immigrant would travel for more than two weeks to get from the ‘West Indies’ to London. Of course, in those days, the only way to get there was by boat. Today, that same trip takes eight hours – by air.

Every facet of our human experience has been transformed by modern innovations in technology. And most of those innovations have resulted in everything happening more quickly. Fedex can now deliver a package from the US in one day! I don’t have to travel to see my friends and family… I can see them now over the internet! I don’t have to go to the bookstore to purchase a book… I can buy it on Amazon… And I don’t have to wait for Amazon to ship it either… I can download some books right away!

Everything today is happening faster and faster. This is the age of speed… this is the time when we need our leaders to be speedy!

We cannot wait for the right decision… going in the right direction! We need decisions now… and we will correct our course as we go along. We cannot wait to see which direction the wind is blowing… before we raise the sails and get moving. No not to throw caution to the wind… but to grab hold of what wind there is.

We need to build a culture of speed in every sector of government: First we need speed in decision making at the very top… and at the top of every ministry and department.

Then, we need speed in delivery of services to consumers in every department of government. We need speed in communication within the government and from the government to the people. We need speed in responding to the current and future threats to the country and to segments of the population. We need speed in implementing new projects such as the car park, the library and those other projects some of which are still on the drawing board… We don’t need any more action plans… we need the government to act on the plans it already has… Act now.

We must build speed that matches our rhythmic style… Ours is not a reggae style… slow and sure… nope. We have a calypso rhythm… So let us develop a rhythmic decision making style that fits us… fast, adaptable… moving to the changes to the beats within our shores and addressing the challenging rhythms from the outside. And, yet within this fast rhythm – we must deliver rock steady results and outcomes.

Antigua and Barbuda must move quickly to respond to the knowledge based economy which is founded on innovation and the ability not only to generate new ideas but to build the products and deliver the services which emerge from the creative minds of our young entrepreneurs and university graduates. We must learn from experiences of our veteran workers and listen to the wisdom of our senior citizens.

We must develop the capacity to go from idea to product to delivery at light speed.

We must remove the bureaucratic prison that is our current system of government where permanent secretaries rule with an 18^th Century mindset and 17^th Century rules. It takes months to have a simple process completed after fifty pieces of paper have gone back and forth to be signed ten times. No country today can compete at a global level with that kind of pitch-like execution and delivery.

Our leaders must quickly identify and remove those processes – structural and political – that stymie and slow us down and prevent us from achieving success. And our leaders must remove those people with Victorian mentalities who keep us stuck in the past… who use the computer as an adding machine and see it as a typewriter with a screen.

There needs to be a sense of urgency about this.

For too long, we have accepted sloth bound decisions and mediocre results from some of our leaders. We have accepted their excuses as to why things take so long. We have embraced their explanations as to why this project or that project is still on the drawing board.

That attitude of acceptance and understanding, of indulgence and tolerance, of consideration and patience… just because we support them and just because we want to appear supportive… can no longer be the deal.

We need our leaders to embrace a culture of high tempo decision making and we need them to promote a culture of swift execution… and prompt delivery..

Antigua and Barbuda must make that transition to speed now. It is taking too long to bring those people to justice. It is taking too long to fix the airport. It is taking too long to deal with the medical students issue… (one way or another… make a decision). It has taken too long to solve our water problem. It has taken too long to get those Rural West projects going. It has taken too long to fix our electricity problem. It is taking too long bring those criminals to justice (did I mention that already?) It is taking toooooo long…

The up-tempo and percussion must start at the top… by the Chief Drummer. Let’s speed it up!

Them Antiguan Tradesmen

2009-04-20T13:11:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

Antiguan tradesmen: unreliable - undependable, bluffing, inconsistent, mediocre – second rate, superiority attitude, dismissive, disrespectful, inconsiderate, poor customer service… high priced!

I know that some of our readers will respond to this article with resentment… not just resentment but maybe even deep anger. I also know that others will agree with my opinions… not just agree but agree wholeheartedly.

It seems as though each time I talk with another Antiguan about the issue of our “Antiguan Tradesmen” that I hear another horror story about unreliability, mediocre work or the lies that our tradesmen tell their clients or potential clients. I won’t tell any of those stories. Why? Because I have my own litany of disappointments.

Last year, we hired a cabinet maker to redo our kitchen cupboards. As a matter of fact he was the one who had built them years ago. So who better to give the job to than him? That was the first mistake. Plus… he was local. Second mistake. And he promised a speedy job… and we believed him. Third mistake.

Well… he took off all the doors to the cupboards… took them away to sand and stain them and supposedly to put on new more beautiful hinges… or whatever they do to make them look good. He kept them… Of course he could not put them back on before he had re-sanded… and varnished or stained the cupboards themselves.

It took about three weeks for him to do the cupboards themselves… He would send someone on Monday morning to start… By mid-day the person left… and then showed up on Wednesday afternoon… Left and maybe… maybe showed up again on Friday just before 2 PM… or so. You know for what! Same thing happened the next week… and the next…

Of course during this time… all the contents of the cupboards…. foodstuff… dishes… glasses… cups… cutlery… well – you get the picture… All that stuff are in bags… temporarily placed on the table… put up here… placed over there… The place is a mess… for three weeks… Where is the salt? And, oh…. where is the baking soda… and what about the measuring cup??? Didn’t we have some of that… now where is it?

For three weeks…

Then he said he was finished with the cupboards… Of course he still had the doors… That took another week… Oh… and by the way… he took out a couple of drawers that needed new runners… those took an additional couple of weeks… How many weeks now?

That was last year… October… One door is still off… a drawer is missing…

Did I mention another mistake? He gave us a sob story… and he was paid… the full amount… Well… I wouldn’t have paid that scamp…. But… Let’s just say he was paid… So now… I will end up in court… either for our money… (that’s a civil matter)… or we are going to court… well… let’s just say… I might have to go to court for a – well – not civil matter!

Now that experience is one of many many many that I have had…

For the last couple of years, we have had a nagging problem with our plumbing. I have tried and tried and tried to get a local – Antiguan plumber. We have friends who are plumbers… we have associates who are plumbers… we even have family members who are plumbers…. all Antiguans… Do you think we could get one? Bluffing… lying… promising… every week… every month…

I needed an electrician… same thing… Promises that they will come… “Today… after three… look out for me…” That was six months ago…” Of course, I followed up. “What happened yesterday…” “Oh… something came up… I can’t do it today… how about Saturday… Yeah man… you can count on me.” He hasn’t shown up yet… not him… not his colleague… not the other three guys… all Antiguan of course!

And if you think that these issues are just about the little guy… the solo tradesman… then you have to think again. Not so. For years… I have tried to get the most prominent… longest serving Antiguan pest control company to examine and provide me with a key service. I have talked to its proprietor at least six times each year for the last five years…

“Mr. G, when are you coming to look at the house and give me your estimate…” “Oh, I will pass this afternoon… after five… I have to pass that way on my way home…” “Mr. G, what happened?” “Oh… ah… I will come first thing in the morning… I have to pass that way coming to work…” Even Mr. G’s wife now knows me… she has seen me come into the little shop/office at the corner so many times… so many times over the years! Don’t get me wrong… I have known Mr. G for thirty years… He is a nice man… but he is just like all the other Antiguan tradesmen… unreliable… undependable… bluffer!

Now I know that Mr. G, the electricians, the plumbers… don’t do that to the big customers like the hotels and the banks.

So what is it?

Do they feel that we can’t pay? Do they feel that we won’t pay? Well… we pay them what they ask… and they still don’t finish the job. Do they feel like our little jobs are not big enough? Even when times are hard for them… they still behave that way.

Again for years we have tried to get an Antiguan individual or company (doesn’t matter) to come once or twice per month to cut our grass, pull the weeds and trim the trees. This month we may get someone whom a friend recommends. The individual takes a look and charges an exorbitant price (at least, I think so). We pay it. Willingly. Part of what we are paying for is the long term commitment to provide the service every two weeks.

They come the first month and do an OK job.

The next month – we call. Now remember this is supposed to be automatic… They promise but they don’t show. Never show. Again. We get someone else. The same thing happens. Now we are on automatic… we automatically try to get a new person every month!

We got an Antiguan guy to fix the kitchen counter… he did a good job… or so it seems to me. But then he kept the remainder of the Corian… and to this day we can’t get it from him. He took a key part of a table to fix also… promising to bring it back the next day… That’s three months ago…

And the car… and our mechanic and body work friends… Well… that is a whole different story which would take a chapter or so!

What is it about our Antiguan tradesmen… what is it about our Antiguan small business men?

The sad thing is that now… today… those tradesmen have competition. Very serious competition. I needed to have some emergency carpentry work done… A friend referred a Dominican handyman. He brought three other men… scruffy looking… as if they had just come from the rum shop… but I can tell you that the job they did was quick and efficient! They were obviously hungry… maybe for food… but certainly for the work!

Our Antiguan tradesmen do not seem hungry… they don’t seem motivated to give excellent service… they don’t appear to believe in giving a good day’s work for a good day’s pay… they don’t believe in keeping their word… they come with an attitude of “I am Antiguan… I deserve this work because I am Antiguan… I can do the best job because I am Antiguan… pay me before the job is finished… because I am Antiguan… I will come back when I want to… because I am Antiguan…”

Well… I am one Antiguan who is fed up with our Antiguan tradesmen…

Because I am Antiguan I expect better from my Antiguan tradesmen and businessmen…

Because I am Antiguan and I am paying for the work being done… and because as an Antiguan… I have been taken for granted by Antiguan tradesmen and business men… And because I am Antiguan and I have been burned so many countless times by Antiguan tradesmen… I will no longer waste my time… no longer look desperately for an Antiguan to do work…

Let me tell you… this is hard… particularly given how I feel about the non-Antiguan issues we are currently experiencing. But I have been let down too many times… taken for granted too many times… disrespected too many times – by my own Antiguan tradesmen… neighbors, friends and family!

The best tradesmen will get the job… those who do as they promise. Those who keep their word…. those who deliver excellent service… those who respect me as a consumer… those who are dependable, responsible and reliable… those who do an excellent job… in excellent time with excellent results… whatever the price…

Those tradesmen and businessmen will get the job - whatever their origin… Chinese… Guyanese… Dominican… Jamaican…. Santo Dominican… or Antiguan!

If our tradesmen keep up this attitude they will soon be marginalized to the sidelines. Some are already fussing about the Chinese and Santo Dominicans… Well this is just the beginning. Someone needs to host an educational forum or training conference for our Antiguan tradesmen to read them the riot act. The Chamber of Commerce, the Antigua Employer’s Federation, the Small Business Association – somebody needs to jump in – quickly to do something about this.

These tradesmen are committing ritual suicide… every day… every week… ever month. When the big jobs go away… they will want to turn to people like me and you… too late! And the big jobs will go away as more and more builders take advantage of the growing numbers of skilled foreign nationals willing to work for cheaper wages.

Quite soon Antiguan tradesmen will no longer be able to compete with the hordes of foreign tradesmen who have been let in and are being let in to our country. By that time, people like me will have been forced to move on to other sources because of our tradesmen’s current attitudes.

And while the foreign population grows… guess who they will be hiring to work on their cars… to fix their plumbing and electricity?

Our tradesmen need to catch a glimpse of their future… the ones they are creating by their bluffing, disrespect of consumers and unreliability. Their future does not look good – at least not to me! And it is of their own making…

Romantic Report to the Nation

2009-04-16T14:34:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Last year Antigua and Barbuda launched Romantic Rhythms during the month of June. The festival was supposed to have attracted international visitors who were supposed to “fall in love as the lyrical beauty engulfed the entire destination.”

The islands of Antigua and Barbuda were touted to be “Love Islands” since the nation was an “award winning destination for Weddings and Honeymoons.”

The festival itself featured an international who-is-who in the music world with the likes of Lionel Ritchie, Kenny Rogers, Keyshia, Brian McKnight, Shaggy, Maxi Priest, Damian Marley and many others. To be truthful, I am not sure that all of these artists performed… but I do know that many of them showed up and wowed the crowd.

Thousands of people attended. Antiguans that is… and maybe some visitors from around the Caribbean sea.

But did the festival attract the visitors who were the ultimate targets? Who were they? Tourists from across the Atlantic Ocean. How many of them came?

Nine months later we cannot answer that question.

It has been reported that the Government budgeted EC$3mllion for the hosting of the festival. But unconfirmed reports suggest that the festival went over budged to the tune of an additional EC$2million.

How much revenue did the ticket sales generate? Indeed, since there were so many hundreds (even thousands) of ‘complimentary’ tickets being given away, I have grave doubts about the number of tickets that were actually sold. But, I really don’t know.

And, nine months later no one seems to be able to answer that question.

Apparently, the organizers were able to secure sponsorship from many businesses. The major sponsors included Cable & Wireless, The ABI Financial Group, American Airlines, LIAT, and Chevrolet. Sponsors were categorized as Euphoria (top sponsors), Amorous, Elation and Quixotic!

The question is whether or not the sponsors got a sense of euphoria because of the return on their marketing investments? By the way, how much did they invest? In addition to the Government’s investment, how much did the organizers get from the sponsors? What was the total investment?

Nine months later, there have been no answers to that question.

So far this year, I have heard no public announcements about the staging of the festival. Will we or won’t we? Which artists will headline the event? How much will it cost the Government? Are the sponsors elated about putting their money on the line this year?

Reportedly, many small businesses that provided services at last years event are dissatisfied. What is the nature of their dissatisfaction? Is it about money?

It is clear that the people who attended got a treat… I was about to say that they got their money’s worth…. but since many of them got ‘complimentary’ tickets… Let’s just say that they got much more than they expected.

Every attendee to whom I spoke was elated and even euphoric about the performances. Yes, many of them had criticisms about the time wasted between the performances, etc. But overwhelmingly they were happy… very very happy – young, old… and in between came away planning to attend the next festival…

If this was the goal of the festival… to provide Antiguans and Barbudans with an electrifying and quixotic romantic treat… then that goal was achieved… at a cost of over five million dollars.

Let me be clear… The festival was good… very good!

Yet, if the goal was to develop an annual festival that would bring thousands of international visitors to our shores, then we need our questions answered. How many international visitors came for the inaugural show? How much money was collected at the gates? How many dollars came from sponsors? Have all the debts been paid?

Are we having another festival this year… and what are the projections about costs, number of potential visitors, and what are the projected returns on investment for sponsors? How are potential sponsors responding?

Nine months later, we are asking questions… there have been no answers… and no one seems to want to respond.

What are the numbers?

Given the economic climate that has unfolded since last year, answers to those questions are critically important.

Given the political climate in our nation at this time, and given the new dispensation’s commitment to transparency and clarity, those questions need to be answered without hesitation.

We must remember the historic and corrupt practices that we suffered during the 28 years of a previous administration. During that time, no one could get answers to questions about payments, purchases, or profits that related to public projects.

Let’s not return to those days. Let’s fulfill the promise of transparency and openness.

Answer the questions posted in this blog.

Give us the numbers… even if they are, un-romantic, even if they fail to stimulate amorous feelings within us… and even if we are not elated or euphoric…

Lets have the Romantic Report to the Nation…

To Make Ends Meet… We Must Compete!

2009-04-16T12:15:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

About twelve years ago I had a conversation with a group of executives that included a prominent banking official and I made a comment that prompted an angry remark from that individual.

What did I say? I told them that in the very near future Antiguans and Barbudans would have to begin acting like immigrants in our own homeland.

The banking official – a hard working professional, a stalwart community activist, and an Antiguan citizen by marriage, retorted that their children were not being raised to need two or three jobs to make it in their own country.

While I agreed with the optimism of the sentiment, I thought at the time that they had missed the point. Now, today, even more than ever, I think that my statement was prophetic.

The point I was making then, was that the many immigrants back in 1997, who were coming to our shores had started to act like Antiguans and Barbudans do when we emigrate to America or England.

In order to make ends meet in New York for example, we work two jobs… and still go to school… some of us even go full time. And that is just to make ends meet… to get ahead… we work morning, noon and night… and still go to school.

In Antigua, twelve years ago, I was beginning to see the need for us to compete in our own country… not even to get ahead… just to make ends meet!

To be truthful those are two issues… (1) to compete; and, (2) to make ends meet. The third of course would be to get ahead.

To compete? Yes… To compete with the Guyanese, Jamaicans and Spanish speaking people who had started to come to our shores in the tens… So back then… 1997 or so…. we needed to begin to ramp up our own levels of economic activity… personal and professionals endeavors to compete with the immigrants.

And then… those people began to come in not by the tens… but by the hundreds… and now by some accounts… thousands! Of course we know that much of that was manipulated by those treacherous and treasonous political operatives under the red flag. But the reality is that some of it was driven by the global economic situation… and even more so today.

Therefore… given the huge increase in the number of immigrants – legal and otherwise – politically manipulated or economical driven – we are now in a position where Antiguan and Barbudan natives – born and bred – from Old Road and Point, from Sea View Farm to Grays Farm, from Freetown to Five Islands… all have to compete and struggle to make ends meet!

So Antiguans and Barbudans must be competitive in our own country.

While I am one of those who believe that we must rigorously control the number of new immigrants who come in and stay… I am also realistic that the major force today is not economic globalization… it is the globalization of people. People are moving everywhere… and it is a movement that cannot be stopped… It can be controlled… but not stopped.

So we must learn how to compete aggressively.

Our children must do well in school. From what I hear… some of the best students in our schools are non-native children! We have got to find a way to improve that situation. Many of our children are not motivated… and don’t seem to understand or care about the severe, lifetime liability that they are hamstringing themselves with by not focusing on educational success today. (More on this in another article).

Our professionals must learn to compete. Antiguan companies are having great difficulties filling executive positions. As a result they advertise the positions across the region and even around the world. Just check CaribbeanJobs.com . We need to encourage our professionals to get that next level of training, that higher certification, that next degree… to get all that they need to take them to the highest levels so that they can compete with their counterparts from Trinidad, Barbados, the Bahamas, Jamaica and further afield – for the position of General Manager, Executive Director, Financial Controller, Human Resource Manager and other key roles.

Our mid-level professionals in government and in the private sector must do the same. They need to see themselves as ‘learning’ rather than being ‘learned.’ How do I get to the next level? What will it take? What certificates, degrees, specialized training do I need? What niche area is currently unfilled in my company? What are the niche areas need more professionals with specialized expertise?

Antiguans and Barbudans just entering the world of work, those who feel that they are stuck in low level positions, or those who are untrained and uncertified must catch-a-fire… they need to recognize that this world is different from that of 1997. If all you have are some ‘subjects’, or ‘years of experience’ then you are vulnerable and you are dispensable. Companies are looking for qualified and certified individuals who will perform, produce and deliver winning results that contribute to their bottom line.

Look at Antigua today… Who are the entrepreneurs? the most visible ones are the Jamaicans and Santo Dominicans… Bars, restaurants, vendors, auto mechanics, lawn care specialists… all foreign. And who is using their services… Antiguans of course. We are the consumers and they are the providers of services. Some of these foreigners have two jobs… (sounds familiar?) some have two or three skill sets… and they work hard… they are busy… they are creative… They have a mentality that says… “I came here to Antigua to make it… and I will do everything I have to do in order to be successful.” You ask them… Their immigrant mentality says… “I am a stranger in this country… so… If it is to be… it is up to me.”

There is a “Birdonomics” mentality in Antigua among Antiguans and Barbudans where some feel that the Government owes them a job. They feel that – just because they are Antiguan – that somebody should give them work… and if a business person does not do it… then a politician will give them some crumbs. And for too long, too many have been willing to accept ‘crumbs for votes’! That may have served the red flag politicians well… but it served to undermine the assertive and progressive spirit of a whole generation of Antiguans and Barbudans (Yes… Barbudans – you are a whole different case! More on that in an upcoming article).

A whole generation of Government workers – a whole generation of Antiguans – don’t know anything… can’t do anything.. and expect salaries – high salaries - for sitting three at a desk answering one telephone… three at a desk to handle one piece of mail or greet one customer… the remnants of Birdonomics… And some of these same people make it to Permanent Secretary… after years of doing the same thing… nothing. (Upcoming article on “The Principles of Birdonomics.” In the meantime see my February 17, 2006 article in this blog… “The Writing on the Wall”)

For Antigua and Barbuda to be competitive as a nation… our people must be competitive… we have got to be brighter to be better. We have got to be more educated and more skilled than the competition. We must work together, help mentor and train each other and foster the development of our young people forging them into internationally qualified and globally competent business persons, artisans, sports figures and entertainers. Locally… we must top everyone else… rather than coming here to teach… people should come here to learn.

We must go beyond just competing to make ends meet. We must compete to be first… to be better… then best.

And we have got to get rid of that Birdonomics mentality.

Heritage Tourism – Importance & Benefits

2009-04-12T15:07:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Several years ago I successfully paved the way for over 100 medical doctors and their family members to visit Antigua. They were members of the Howard University Medical Association and I had persuaded them to hold their annual conference at the Jolly Beach Hotel.

Before they came they also asked me to arrange a “heritage” tour for them. A '”heritage tour”? Yes – A Heritage Tour!

These savvy travelers had been coming to the Caribbean for years and were tired of the ‘normal tourist tours’ that mostly showcased remnants and vestiges of the European colonial past.

“No more,” they said. They wanted to see the heritage of the Africans who were brought to the Caribbean.

So, I embarked on a search for someone who could conduct this “heritage tour”. Well… it was a frustrating search. Finally, I was connected to the person at the head of our Museum. The individual, who claimed to be Guyanese, (at the head of our museum!) informed me that we could take the group to the Nelson’s Dockyard!

Well, apparently she had not understood the portion fo the request that referenced “Heritage” and “African”. So I repeated the request – slowly and in detail. She indicated to me that she had clearly understood, and that what I apparently did not know… was that many of the buildings at Nelson’s Dockyard had been built by “African slaves”.

Now… normally, I am very cool and calm… but that day… at that moment… well…

Obviously, I had to move on from that source. I got recommendations such as Betty’s Hope, Monk’s Hill and the like. I was told to contact Mr. Nicholson or his representatives… whoever they are. Of course, for ‘obvious’ reasons… (that’s another long story) I dismissed those recommendations.

Finally, it dawned on me that Pappy Sammy could help. I contacted Keithlyn Smith. After some discussion, he agreed that this was something that he could and would like to do… though he had never really done anything of this magnitude before. He was evidently qualified to give the tour our visitors wanted.

As we say… “To cut a long story short”… the “heritage tour” was an overwhelming success. Ambassador Smith took us to visit about five sites significant to the presence of the first Africans in Antigua. We visited sites at Green Castle, Bendals Village, Freeman’s Village, and the ‘healing tree’ at North Sound.

The visitors listened in awe as Ambassador Smith gave the history of each site. Many were in tears as he vividly described the suffering, the courage and the fortitude of our great, great grandparents.

These doctors, many of whom are at the top of their fields in various branches of medicine, were thrilled to learn of the ‘healing tree.’ I was amazed that that tree… revealed by Papa Sammy was still there… at the very spot… hudreds of years later. Everyone took out coins and deposited them at the root of the tree as they silently envisioned health and longevity- while some picked and stowed away a few of the broad, shiny leaves to later apply to their arthritic backs and knees!

It has been five years since they visited. Some of them have returned and a few of them have invested in local businesses; one has taught at a medical school; and, at least one – is currently integrally involved in the administration of the new Mount St. Johns Hospital.

Over the intervening years, I have spoken with several of these doctors, and they all refer to that heritage tour as an event that they will never forget.

I have shared this story with a few people involved in the Tourist Industry… some who were administrators and decision makers at the highest level. Even with this, very few of them seem to understand the critical importance of highlighting our Antiguan and Barbudan African Heritage.

Every island in the Caribbean… every island in the world… features three things in its bid to attract tourists: Sea, sand and sun. St. Kitts has those. St. Lucia has those. Barbados has those. Hawaii has those. Fiji has those. The Solomon Islands have those.

What else does Antigua and Barbuda have that can and will differentiate it from every other island. We have our heritage. Yes… every island has its heritage… and many island nations particularly those in the Pacific ensure that they focus on, capture and present to the world the uniqueness of their heritage as an attraction.

Here in Antigua and Barbuda… we have a dual heritage. No… the European heritage is not included. We have our African heritage. And we have our native islander heritage… a heritage that I must admit that I know very little about.

So here is what we need to do.

First we need to commission individuals like Dr. Reginald Murphy and Ambassador Keithlyn Smith to research, identify and document key heritage sites in our twin island state. We need them to write full descriptions on the history and importance of these sites.
Then our government must select the most hallowed of these sites and place them on a protected sites list… whereby they cannot be desecrated by unbridled capitalism and greed like that which is going on between Bendals and Green Castle and at Indian Creek. Those sites would become an integral part of our “National Parks”
We next need to select those sites around the country where we think visitors might be interested in and might benefit from learning about the historical facts related to each site. Those sites would be developed into tourist attractions where a National Park Ranger would conduct short educational tours. Mementos and educational materials would be developed around each site by our skilled artisans and craft experts. These would be on sale at the site. Each site would have shops, eating and rest-room facilities.
At a national level our tourism product would have a major additional focus… heritage sites. Cruise ship visitors would have real choices beyond visiting the beach and a the remaining places that feature the historical presence of the racist, slave holding, European colonialists. Visitors who are currently imprisoned by hoteliers in their all-inclusive hotels will have more than just the beach and the bar to entertain them.
Indeed… with heritage sites all around the country and in Barbuda… the "beach will just be the beginning”.

It seems to make sense that we should already have done these things. Why have they not been done?

As I have said above, I have talked about this to key decision-makers in the Ministry of Tourism. While they, for the most part, have no objections to the notion of ‘heritage tourism’, they indicate that many of the hoteliers may object to the idea. They also indicate that one or two of Antigua’s so-called eminent archeologists or historians (I am not sure what they would have called themselves) would and have objected to such a focus in past.

Many of those who object, embrace the European ‘heritage’ of Nelson, Codrington and Baldwin as Antigua and Barbuda’s heritage. These people argue that to raise the issue of African heritage is to be divisive. They say we don’t need to talk about the slaves who were hanged at Bendals and we need not speak of the first council that was held between Freeman’s village and Sea View Farm. Nope… we only need to focus on Monks Hill, Fort James and… oh yes… Betty’s Hope. (Who was Betty anyway? She certainly wasn’t either of African origin or a native Carib…)

I totally reject those arguments.

“For here in Antigua, we boast of a Heritage Quay built by Italians, entirely in Italian architectural style, and we have had the sheer gall to name this Italian conceived, designed and executed shopping mall: Heritage Quay. There is nothing Caribbean about it. Nothing African. It is entirely alien in conception and execution, and yet this alienated structure is labeled our Heritage.” Tim Hector, Fan the Flame: October 25, 1996 .

For the first time, Antiguans and Barbudans must take control not only of our future but of our past… our heritage. We must choose those things which we want – the majority of us – to identify who we are, where we are from and where we are going.

If our tourism product is to be successful it must feature more than sea, sand and sun. It must feature who we are. All of who we are and not just the European side of our history. I want my story told to the tourists who come here… and I know that they would be intrigued… would want to know… would want to see… would want to touch… would want to feel… my story… Papa Sammy’s story… not just Nelson’s or Betty’s for that matter.

If the responses of the doctors of the Howard University Medical Association are to be used as a guide… then Heritage Tourism will help to reinvigorate our main economy – even in these hard times. Yes… I know what one segment of the critics will say, behind their hands, about these doctors… “They were all African American…. of course they would have been interested in the African Heritage…”

In Washington, DC the vast majority of the people who visit the Holocaust Museum are not Jews… they are Japanese, Chinese, British, Canadian, German, Russian, Australian, South African, Nigerian, African American…. They are from California, Hawaii, Montana, Alaska…

The people who visit Antigua and Barbuda come here… not to see Nelson or Betty’s Hope… they come to see whatever we have to show them… They come to see what’s different about us…. and what’s different from them and from where they are from… They come to be intrigued, inspired, educated and entertained. They come because they are curious, they want knowledge, and yes… because they want to relax.

The sea, sand and sun… will help with the relaxation. Calypso Joe and Franco will help with the entertainment. And, through Heritage Tourism we will satisfy their curiosity, help them gain knowledge and be educated, and hopefully they will also be intrigued, inspired and persuaded to see Antigua and Barbuda as unique.

And… in the meantime… they will spend their money for those blessings… And they will spend their dollars outside of those all-inclusive hotels on the artistic and historical creations designed and crafted by our local artisans.

“It continues to amaze me, that in 1996, children are taught ad nauseam, about the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina. These same children who are taught about these three European boats, know nothing about the three great West African Empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhay.” Tim Hector, Fan the Flame: October 25th, 1996.

Yes Tim… It continues to amaze me that our children are not taught our history… the history of Antiguans and Barbudans – I mean our history… rather than his-story… the limited, partially told story of the Europeans in Antigua and Barbuda which have been and still is forced on our children.

Heritage tourism will help to correct that in such a way that our children will know… They will learn about King Court, Prince Klaas, Tomboy, Hercules and Fortune. They will learn the real story of their forefathers… they will learn about much more than the ‘weedie weedie bush’ and Moody Stuart….

Let us focus on reclaiming our heritage and then use it to generate income through our tourist industry.

Develop heritage tourism. Start the process now!

The Foreign Service Must Evolve!

2009-04-09T13:57:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

While it is understood that the historical role of our diplomatic ambassadors is to serve as official representatives of Antigua and Barbuda, the changing realities of our economic and developmental challenges necessitate that this role evolves in much, much more.

In recent times we have seen some of our more able ambassadors play key roles, not only in ceremonial capacities, but in other roles such as negotiating critical and strategic agreements with foreign governments for social and economic projects. These foreign service officials bring a dynamic, action and results oriented perspective to their portfolios.

However, those ambassadors are in the minority.

Instead, most of our ambassadors seem to see themselves either as representatives who play ceremonial roles or who are involved in ‘representative activities’ where they attend meetings, conferences and social gatherings, or ‘represent’ our nation at celebratory activities hosted by other countries.

The majority of these ambassadors also see their role as that of ‘representing the views and concerns’ of our Government and spend a lot of time articulating those views to the power structures in the countries to which they are attached.

Many of these ambassadors have fitted into the comfortable roles that their predecessors appointed by the previous ALP administrations have always played. They have embraced the mantle of pomp, circumstance, and importance with which their positions come. Yes… it is important to represent our nation at some of the events to which they are invited… and to be present at the table… But, over the years that I have observed some of them here in Washington, too many have seen this social, ceremonial and philosophical representational role… as the role.

That needs to change. As a matter of fact… they should not have a role… but a job description with timelines, deliverables, performance factors and measurable outcomes!

A small nation like Antigua and Barbuda cannot afford to have ambassadors who play primarily philosophical, social and ceremonial roles. In this I am referring to both resident and non-resident ambassadors, and ambassadors-at-large. The country can only afford a handful of ambassadors at home or abroad. So we need those few to deliver big… to deliver the kinds of projects that impact hundreds of our citizens… in big ways.

A few of our current ambassadors ensure that they are able to secure a few tit-bits of aid for groups or government departments at home. Maybe a fire-truck last year, an ambulance last month, a police motor bike at the end of the year – all delivered with pomp and high ceremony. Yes… these are feel-good and look-good gifts from other countries. Good.

Yet, what we really need are ambassadors who negotiate bilateral agreements and develop international relationships that translate into major sustainable developmental projects for small business and communities. We don’t need fishes… we need the training and sustainable support mechanisms that will allow us to do our own fishing using modern day technological advancements.

Ambassadors who reside in other countries must bring a new perspective to their jobs. Rather than adopting the historically egotistical, puffed-up and self-centered attitude of some of their predecessors, they should embrace a creative and marketing oriented outlook whereby everything they do is about promoting the nation – not for the sake of international stature… but for the sake of economic growth and national development.

To foster this, I suggest the following:

Involve Antiguans and Barbudans who reside in their jurisdiction in every aspect of their efforts to market and promote our country. We literally have an army of volunteers who can be involved in every aspect of the work that embassies and consulates are tasked to do. There are qualified Antiguans and Barbudans all over the world who have waited… and are waiting… and are willing to do their part… to contribute to our country’s development. Involve them. Identify Antiguans and Barbudans who would volunteer to be leaders in a variety of projects that would benefit small businesses, and people in communities at home.
Every resident ambassador should see himself/herself as a marketing executive who represents our nation to “proven”, Fortune 1000 companies and their executives and to ‘blue-chip’ investors. Ambassadors need training in a variety of skills including how to present and marketing our country.
Every ambassador – resident and non resident – should develop a business plan… Yes… a business plan than indicates what he/she is going to do over the next three years, what area of the economy or national development he or she will target, what the projected deliverables will be and the timelines for such deliverables.
If ambassadors are going to focus on such things as seeking scholarships (or overseeing scholarships as some are doing…) they must be able to provide (in dollars and cents) the short and long term benefits to our nation of such scholarships. This is to ensure that we are able to provide the nation with the most qualified, certified and trained workforce possible. We must also avoid current and past mistakes. How many more medical doctors can our nation sustain? How about graduate degrees in agriculture, nursing (rather than importing nurses), educational administration, mental health, civil engineering, small business development and entrepreneurship… etc.?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be managed by professionals who respond quickly to the needs of our ambassadors. The current status where everything moves like pitch… where nothing gets done quickly (if ever), where Permanent Secretaries rule as hold overs from the 1940s must change. The ministry too must evolve.

Our Foreign Service Officers are our frontline representatives to the rest of the world. Therefore, we must put our best (professional, qualified, can deliver, proven) people in those exalted positions so that they can deliver exalted outcomes! We must task them with a new and different mandate… a mandate to bring home the kinds of results that will give Antigua and Barbuda visible and measurable returns on its investment in them.

Farewell My Neighbor

2009-04-04T22:51:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

It is with deep sadness that I learned of the passing of Lionel Gomes. He was a gentle-man, a family man… a good man.

He was also a stalwart – in politics, in the labour union, in calypso and in the affairs of Greenbay and Grays Farm.

Of course, when I was growing up, I didn’t know that Lionel… I knew Lionel as my next door neighbor… my quiet, reserved – yet forthright neighbor.

Why forthright? Well… though he was quiet and mostly spoke in a soft voice, when it was necessary he could be firm and forthright. And that came out in his demeanor, his voice, and his actions.

When he moved his family away from Perry’s Bay, Lionel still maintained his presence and interest in the neighborhood. He became involved in community issues and solidly supported and was committed to Baldwin Spencer in his early efforts to win the hearts and minds of the people of Greenbay and Grays Farm.

Over the years and since I moved away from the area… I did not see him regularly. But each time we met it was in our old neighborhood… chatting with Mr. Nicholas and his wife – an elderly couple – our old neighbors who still live – well – next door; or he was visiting or attending a meeting at the constituency branch office; or he was involved in or lending his support to some other meaningful and creative community project.

The last time we met it was about 50 yards away from where we had spent so many years living side by side. As I looked into his eyes… even though I knew that he was fighting… his spirit was strong and I could see that he was still forthright, still rallying for the people of the neighborhood, still concerned about our issues… our children, the crime, the need for development…

And most of all… he was still giving his all – his total support and unequivocal commitment to his friend… who is now the nation’s Prime Minister.

Lionel Gomes… steadfast… resolute… peaceful… committed…

Farewell Lionel – my neighbor. Rest in peace.

“Man-A-Pause”

2009-03-30T12:12:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

I just read a “comment” that was made to a local online news site whereby the reader used the term “Man-A-Pause” in his/her comment to an article. It was used in reference to someone called “Lester” and sought to explain his irrational behaviors and confusing public statements.

I think that the person got the word wrong – on purpose. But I understood it … like it … and would like to expound on it.

So what is the “man-a-pause” that this individual named “Lester” is purportedly going through?

Well ‘man-a-pause’ is simply a ‘multi-dimensional set of changes in a man, whereby he experiences a number of seriously life changing symptoms’ … Some physical… some psychological.

What are some of these symptoms? Psychological irritability and indecisiveness, and sometimes depression that is tied to significant events… (events like losing an election.) It can also involve mood swings… whereby one time the person is happy (like at winning their seat) and then they swing to being very unhappy… (like at not getting enough public attention).

Another symptom is selective memory loss. So for example, a former leader might forget that when he was in high office for 28 years, he made sure that the opposition leader was never sworn in at the Government House. But now that he is in a similar category, he is demanding to be sworn in there.

While I cannot speak to many of the physical symptoms that this person named ‘Lester’ is going through… I would like to comment on the symptom of weight gain… something many men in ‘middlescence’ have recognized… and many older men like the person called ‘Lester’ might have and still might be experiencing. In one popular case, an individual boasts of having been an athlete and cricketer… yet one is hard pressed to imagine that… based on the size and weight that he carries now…

As a part of this bloated physiology… there is an accompanying inflated sense of self… an inflated sense of importance… a bloating of one’s ego… “I am now the big “O” leader… you Miss G G…. are duty bound to install me in the G House…” Puffed up on the outside… puffed up on the inside!

There are spiritual dimensions to ‘man-a-pause’ also whereby the individual apparently has longings to be seen as a demi-god and have lots and lots of people pay attention to and follow him. Additionally, there may be reported episodes of involvement with off-beat quasi ritual magic (purpose - for example - to influence up coming court cases). There is also a great restlessness and yearning for people to worship you… and if not you… someone dead who is a family member. Accompanying all of this is an unrealistic sense of importance… “I sent a letter to the Queen”…

Confusion and irrationality are classic symptoms of ‘man-a-pause’. They show up in the statements that people make and in their public decisions. “We will challenge the results in these constituencies… because of the problems on election day in these and other areas… including my constituency… But I will not challenge the results in mine… There were problems… but… I accept these results.”

For those of you who like to do research, I must warn you that ‘man-a-pause’ should not be confused with male menopause, andropause or hypogonadism. That disorder, though not fully recognized by the medical profession, is said to impact men in their fifties and sixties. Our exemplary reference, Lester, is purported to be in his mid-seventies! So he would conceivably already have gone through the symptoms of andropause…

Though some of the symptoms are similar, ‘man-a-pause’ has one distinguishing factor: These symptoms are mostly psychological, related to an increasingly irrational desire for power: an increasingly rabid do-anything-to-get-the-power mentality; a very bloated and singular belief that only-I-can-lead-this-country mindset; and, a very smooth, silky, slick ability to use gibberish to win and influence unwitting voters.

‘Man-A-Pause’, as evidenced by this person who the reader identified as ‘Lester’, is a pervasive pattern of grandiose behaviors where the individual is preoccupied with fantasies of being the best, brightest and in charge of everything. This person will use the biggest words or phrases that no one else uses… and they will use them over and over… (I hope that this is pellucidly clear). The individual diagnosed with ‘man-a-pause’ lacks empathy (for example – for the people of Barbuda), while he and his cronies steal others blind (like the people of Barbuda). This individual also has a sense of entitlement (my family will rule for generations).

So as you can see… the person who identified ‘Lester’ as having ‘man-a-pause’, in reality conducted a lay person’s diagnosis of an individual who has a potentially serious disorder… a disorder, though not categorized in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM 4-TR) is a disease which should concern all of us.

Certainly… I am un-easy about having any of our ‘Lesters’ walking around our country with ‘man-a-pause’ and not being under the care of a good psychiatrist or psychologist.

If the ‘Lester’ that that online reader referenced in their post reads this blog… (I doubt it), I urge him to take a pause and seek medical or psychological care.

Who Should Vote?

2009-03-23T20:57:00.002-04:00

A Simple Formula to Solve this Big Problem!!

By Sojourner

I have been following the debates… radio debates, street side debates, coffee table debates, the Saturday rice pudding and maw and goat water debates, the after church service debates, the village shop debates, at the office debates… all the debates… which are all about the non-national issue. And let me tell you it is a big issue…. and many people see it as a big problem!

Most of the persons in these discussions felt really strongly and passionate about the issue. It seems to be the general feeling that non-nationals ought not to have the power to skew the results of our elections.

There is also a lot of discussion around how the ALP set up the non-nationals against the UPP (that discussion is for another time), and how only citizens of Antigua and Barbuda should be able to vote in our elections. This latter view has received much attention, I dare say, by Antiguans and non-nationals alike.

Yes, and interestingly enough, there are some non-nationals who believe that it is only when they attain citizenship that they should be accorded the privilege to vote. And I also heard one non-national saying that he would support a move to amend the seven (7) year citizenship requirement to 10 years. I agree.

Now I know that this won’t go down well with many of the thousands of non-nationals who voted during our recently concluded elections on the basis of their temporary residence status. And the ALP supporters will certainly not agree.

In fact some persons on the radio discussions are stepping very lightly on this one… as if to insist that if only citizens vote that this is wrong, uncivilized or even unjust… So I have been thinking about it quite a bit!

And as usual, when I have some difficult problem to solve, I normally use a simple formula to solve it. I developed this strategy since my school days... especially for difficult math problems. Sometimes the numbers made my head spin and the problem seemed unsolvable… But then, I just reduced it to simple terms, using everyday situations, using simple numbers, applying simple logic and voila… problem solved!

So I am going to do the same here…. So who gets to vote?

I have been a member of numerous organizations: community organizations, church organizations, youth organizations, women organizations… some formal, some not so formal… But for ALL these organizations, voting is always an important activity. So important that there is a lot of regulations around it... Most of the constitutions stipulate who can vote and under what conditions they can vote.

If you are a member of Lions and Rotary or Soroptimist, or POWA or your church youth group, or even the ALP, you would know that you cannot vote unless you are a member. That’s almost a no brainer!

So you have to be a member in order to vote. And in order to be a member, you may have to go through a period of probation, during which time you cannot vote. Mark you, you have to contribute to the group during this period and prove yourself worthy of membership… But that contribution does not entitle you to the vote. And if during this period of probation you do not measure up, either the probationary period is extended or you are asked to leave. The group feels no obligation to you! But, if you are determined… you may try to get into another group. That’s up to you!

There are some organizations which stipulate that once you gain membership that you should be IN for about a year, before you take part in general elections such as voting for the executive body. And, of course, in addition, some organizations also require that you are a member in good standing in order to vote.

It sure seems as if voting is an important activity.

So I am extrapolating the lessons… and I am seeing that most of us in Antigua and Barbuda see voting as the most important activity in the life of an organization. And we all agree that in organizations only members should vote!

So that’s it. For our general elections only nationals of Antigua and Barbuda should vote.

End of story!!

The Failure to Connect

2009-03-21T13:45:00.001-04:00

Build Relationships… Not Only Roads!

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Without exception, all the UPP candidates and the UPP political machinery need to examine what happened last week. Why did seven of them lose? There are many answers… here is one: They failed to connect with individual voters!

I heard this story from a voter in my area… who despite the story below voted the UPP way. She said that in the years prior to this election, the UPP candidate had visited them – maybe once. This is a candidate who had narrowly lost in the 2004 election. Then about six months ago he came to her house and sat down at her table. Though he was very formal, she thought that he responded well to her questions. At the end he asked for her and her husband’s support. She indicated to him that while she would consider voting for him, he would have to come by again and talk with her husband and ask him for his support.

The candidate promised to do so… but never returned. She also indicated that the candidate is a frequent visitor to her neighbors who live in a house across the street from her… And on many occasions… maybe weekly… the candidate would pass by her front porch… to go to and from his friends across the street. And each time that he passed her on her porch or in her yard, he did not say “good morning”, “good afternoon” or anything at all! He totally ignored her.

Now imagine that… he wanted her support… and he wanted her husbands vote! Yet… he ignored both of them.

Very close to the election… he passed by… trying to engage them… She was quite incensed… that at the very least he could not even remember her name!

This same candidate, who I cast my X for… was dismissed from my front yard by my 94 year old mother… when he came by a couple of months ago. After finding out who he was… she let him have it! She indicated to him that in the last six years (prior to the 2004 election and since), she had never met him. He had never come by our house… he had taken us for granted. She did not want to see him… not now!

According to her, she subsequently did put her X beside his name… but her vote was not for him… it was for Baldwin Spencer and the UPP.

After the election results were announced many of his close supporters were in shock… as were many other people across the nation. I was not! My mother certainly was not.

Those who were surprised by the results claimed that “he had done so much for the community. He had paved the roads, put up street lights, fixed the basketball court, developed the community…”

Yes he might have. But he failed to do the most important thing! He had not paved the way for people to related to him. He did not position himself as a beacon of light for people to see. He did not establish any connection with the young people who played basketball.

As much as I hate to quote the man who beat him… I am propelled to… because of the truth of the statement he made. He said that to win your seat, “You must build relationships… not roads.”

Every UPP candidate who lost… and those who almost lost… including the big guns… in some cases failed to build and in most cases failed to maintain close relationships with the people! Not relationships with the communities… But relationships with the people… the individuals… who individually cast their ballots.

Our candidate from my constituency had failed to build close relationships… had failed to come across as personable… had failed to connect at an individual level with the people… the individuals who he wanted to cast their X’s for him.

He was distant… he did not talk much… he was normally not smiling… he appeared out of touch with the people… At least that was my assessment – before the election!

On the day of the election, I arrived at the polling booth just after 6:00 a.m. He was there. He looked serious… He was unsmiling… he looked unapproachable. On the other hand, his competitor, the man who beat him, came by at around 7:45. He was smiling ‘cutely’, shaking people’s hands (he greeted me and shook mine… even though he knows what side I am on!), saluting people, exchanging bantering remarks with people on both sides of the divide. Win, loss or draw… he was putting the best face forward… and letting everyone see that!

Again… the ALP candidate was focused on the relationships he had built… and even at the 11th hour he appeared to be still building relationships… or at least massaging them!

Too many of our UPP candidates believed it was enough to sit in their ministerial positions and build roads and put up lights! Two years into the last UPP administration, I warned one of the key UPP leaders that he was too busy governing… and not paying enough attention to his community… to the people who put him there!

Governing… but not politicking! Good governance… but poor politics. That is a recipe for disaster

I am a clinical psychologist… not a political psychologist… But I dare you to show me the difference when it comes to understanding people’s behaviors. Even within the context of business… every marketing manager, sales manager and business leader knows (or should know) that the focus today is on customer relationships. They know that every sale – is an individual sale. Therefore… every good ad… every successful marketing campaign is directed at the individual person. It is called relationship marketing!

As a matter of fact one of the key approaches that is taking the world by storm has changed from emotional intelligence to social intelligence… the ability to emotionally and intelligently connect with the people. It is described as the new science of human relationships.

Successful managers know that it is through the power of their staff that they get things done… therefore… the new focus on management today is relationship management… management that is focused – not on policies or processes…. but on people!

In politics, people… at least Antiguan people… do not vote based on how many roads you build in their communities. They do not vote based on how much electricity lights you put up. They do not vote based on how many basketballs courts are in their community - even if they are fenced and painted yellow and green! Nope@

People vote based on the individual or family relationships they have with the politician. Rightly or wrongly – it is a fact of life in Antigua. Yes… they like increased electricity in their community… but what they want to know is what the politician is doing about the huge electric bill they have to pay monthly… or the high price of gasoline… People want to know… “What have you done for ME, lately? …. so that I can do something for you… and then in return you do something more for me.”

Yes… yes… yes… Some would say that we should be focused on national development… But all national development must translate into personal development and empowerment for the individual voter! Communities don’t vote… individuals do!

Additional, we have failed… the UPP has failed to help people translate how national development projects and how community development projects translate into individual and personal benefits to them.

How does the school meals program benefit the individual or their family? How will the new car park benefit the hotel worker who lives in Bolans and works at Jolly beach? How does the new hospital impact the farmer from All Saints or the fisherman from Point? How does the income tax structure impact the teacher from Five Islands?

Politicians need to translate all of these national and community development projects into individual benefits… They must paint a picture… they must tell the story… they must make the connection…

And they must make the connection through the relationships that they have built… those that they must re-build and the new ones that they now have to construct – with all the people… natives and non-nationals. And, they must do so long before the next election comes around.

Failure to connect…. No… Continued failure to connect and foster and maintain good relationships with the individual voter… will translate into failure for the UPP.

ALP’s Legal Shenanigans!

2009-03-21T12:30:00.001-04:00

By Sojourner

Today I listened to the ALP’s lawyer speaking to the issue of the writs that they (ALP) had filed in with respect to the recently concluded elections. They filed the writs contesting the results in four constituencies: St. Georges, St. Johns Rural West, St. Johns Rural North and Barbuda.

This ALP lawyer apparently wanted to objective, and he may actually fool himself in believing that he had succeeded. But what he may not know is that he is reeking of the stench that follows the “ALP-ites”.

I am no lawyer, but I have common sense. It is almost an understatement to say that the recently concluded elections were a disaster. What happened should not have. The list should have been posted early, the photo list should have been ready days prior to Election Day, the photocopier should not have broken down, the polling stations should have opened on time, and voting should have started on time. But in a lot of cases these did not happen, so the question remains… who benefitted more from these inconsistencies? ALP? UPP?

This ALP lawyer seems to be suggesting that the ALP suffered more than the UPP as a result. He and his ALP friends seem to believe that if the list was ready and the polling stations opened on time that the ALP would have won. Now, to make such an assertion (implied as it is) this lawyer and his ALP friends must have information that the rest of us do not have.

I believe that they have information about the list… In fact I think that they helped to concoct a list with help from officials at the Immigration Department and the Electoral Office (Birdites in high positions).

I am making this comment based on comments that I’ve heard from comrades such the political leader of the ALP. He said that he registered over 600 persons in St. Johns City East.

In addition to this there are discrepancies in voter lists in that constituency. So obviously, there is something funny going on there. The ALP lawyer and his team of lawyers acting on behalf of the ALP need to add this seat, St. Johns City East to the list of constituencies named in the writ.

This lawyer and his ALP friends seem to be grabbing at straws, just as a drowning man does. They will soon discover, albeit too late, that straws cannot hold them up.

They are about the only ones that see logic in their arguments. They are adamant that the late start hurt them to the extent that if the polling stations were opened on time, they (ALP) would have been returned to power.

But this is not what the OAS Observer Mission concluded. They are of the view that the late start had no significant impact on the results. And I agree. According to laws of mathematics and chance, all things being equal, the impact of the lateness would be equally dispersed, affecting the UPP as much as it affected the ALP, and the other candidates. So Honourable Counsel, that is a mute point! A no brainer!

The lawyer, on behalf of his ALP friends, also made other allegations with respect to the conduct of candidates at the Polling stations. One of his issues is that at a St. Johns Rural West polling station, the UPP leader was handing out brown paper bag… he said with documents.

But when the ALP first raised this point, they mentioned that the UPP operatives were handing out food in brown paper bags. I found it strange, when they were making an issue of it, since on Election Day, the UPP made similar allegations against ALP at a St. Johns Rural North.

A reporter confronted two ALP big shots… two candidates both of whom gave very different stories to the reporter. One admitted that there was food, but that he had nothing to do with it. According to him their agents organized their own food giving activity… The other one denied the allegations, and said that it was the UPP who was doing this. All of this happened in a time of about 5 minutes and to the same reporter!

The ALP lawyer also spoke of the UPP candidate for Rural West, who he claimed was hugging up persons in the line. This lawyer is suggesting that something was wrong with this. And I agree with him. But he should have also ensured that his ALP friends, who were candidates in the elections, were armed with this knowledge when they went to the various polling stations.

I voted at St. Johns City South, and the incumbent… the one who thinks that all he needs to win is to be cute and whisper sweet nothings in the ears of the constituents, was hugging persons in full view… grinning his hypnotic smile. I saw him!

And while I am at it, that same incumbent, seemed to have forgotten to mention to his ALP comrade lawyer about the scene he made at the Mary E Pigott polling station at about counting time… and the bigger scene one of his sons made when he literally threw himself in the path of the bus, police aboard, that was taking the boxes to the counting station. Oh… and he (the incumbent) should have also mentioned how he threatened an officer.. “Wait, you’ll see what happens to you” … purportedly when they would have won!

The inclusion of Barbuda in the writ is laughable. Yes, Barbuda’s results were close..but this is nothing unusual… I remember that there was a tie for the 2004 elections… with the very same candidates. In a revote, Mr. Walker won by about 6 votes; So the fact there Mr. Walker won by 1 vote this time is nothing out of the ordinary.

Now I understand how desperate ALP is… but this is ridiculous… and to me the ALP’s lawyer and all his high powered crony lawyer colleagues lawyers look just as ridiculous. Face the truth… UPP won.

I think that the thing that is really bothering them is that despite, all the money, all the bribery, all the prostituting, all the slandering, all the monstrous the give-aways, the criminal shenanigans, the “mega concerts” and the millions and millions of dollars they poured into the campaign, they lost. They are out again. The UPP is in AGAIN.

Ouch… ALP! I know that hurts!

ALP’s Cultish Hold On Their Supporters

2009-03-18T10:05:00.001-04:00

By Sojourner

I am flabbergasted. I just cannot imagine how people voted for ALP. I cannot imagine how some decent people run behind ALP and Bird. And the thing that confuses me is that some of these people are my friends… and I consider them to be decent. So I am flabbergasted.

To me the ALP is one corrupt organization, devoid of morals… The leaders are vagabonds and crooks. So I am really flabbergasted when people I know who I consider decent follow behind them.

The discussions I’ve had with at least one of them, a really seasoned comrade, had me thinking. She holds the view that UPP is “worst than ALP”; that “they have not done anything”; Now my friend is a professional, so I cannot say that she is dumb or daft. There has to be some other explanation.

So I got to thinking about the ALP and how it seems to control the mind of its followers... and the word “CULT” came to me. Yes, as I think about it more and more, the ALP seems to have a cultish hold on its supporters… and those people seem to be in a trance-like stupor!

So how is the ALP like a cult?

For one thing, in cults, the leader is accorded God-like status. In the ALP Papa Bird is revered, even though he is dead, and they constantly try to summon his spirit. Lester constantly remind the followers that he is the “continuum” .

Additionally, as in cults, the leaders can do no wrong, they are above the law. So in the ALP, minister after minister, have been associated with criminal acts - from child abuse, to pornography, to fraud, to “tiefing” from the public purse.

And, as in cults, the followers rally around them even more… because… they can do no wrong! Papa Bird can do no wrong (never mind that he defiled a minor), Lester Bird can do no wrong (his rap sheet should be long long). Asot can do no wrong, Molwin can do no wrong, … and the list goes on….. And the followers say Amen to whatever these people do and say!

Secondly, cults systematically create a sense of powerlessness in the followers. The ALP is master of this tactic. The ALP prides itself on its ability to provide ‘labour.’ So let us look at how they use ‘labour’ to keep the people powerless and needy. Successive ALP ‘Labour’ Governments are known for providing jabs (Jobs)… Lots of persons are given jobs at below minimum wage. These very people, would have to again go to the ministers, in person to solicit favours… help with school fees, help with utilities, help with whatever they want help with… and then again when Christmas comes, they line up for their turkey and ham. And so as the followers’ sense of powerlessness increases, their good judgment and understanding of the world are diminished.

Closely tied to this is the fact that ALP through ‘labour’ demoralized the Antiguan labour force. What pride is there in working in poor working conditions, working without a clear sense as how your effort links into a greater good. What pride is there in being a square peg in a round hole? What pride is there in being one of four persons who operate one telephone?

So what we have now is a whole civil service, a whole bunch of Antiguans who think work is showing up at the office… A whole bunch of people who don’t understand the concept of ‘labour’, ..a whole bunch of beggie beggie people.

Thirdly, Cults keep the person unaware of what is going on. This sounds just like the ALP. I Know that most of their followers are locked into ZDK. Now I do not listen to ZDK… I consider that soul abuse, but I hear of their programmes from others, especially my ALP friends. When I hear of the things being spouted on that radio station, I have to wonder. The spin their input on things… everything. So you hear everyday folks talking about how things bad, how taxes killing them, how they go to the supermarket and things expensive. They talk about how the UPP politicians corrupt… And the ALP followers gobble it up.

The ALP like all cults shape the reality of its followers… Now I understand why my ALP friend can look me in the eye and say that the UPP has not done anything… Now I can understand why the people in St Johns Rural East and City South see solid infrastructure and still say they see nothing… Like the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes, just in reverse. Now this is serious mind control!

Fourthly, Cults are preoccupied with making money and using money to control the behaviour of followers. In a political cult, this would include excessive fund raising, especially by illegal means such as electoral campaign-finance fraud and bribery. What do we know of the ALP? We know that for the past election there was a lot of activity around money. Lots of money. That translated into a feeding frenzy of its followers. Nationals and non-nationals backed up their trucks… literally. We know of the dollar bills that tumble out of T-shirts, we know of laptops, single checks written for thousands of dollars. MONEY. Money everywhere. And the people said Amen!

Fifth, Cults have an us-versus-them mentality that causes hostility towards, and/or conflict with, political opponents and the wider society to an irrational degree. Although non-cults, including mainstream political parties, also frequently encourage us-versus-them thinking, in the political cult it is carried to an extreme in which the entire world outside the cult is regarded either as the enemy or as pawns to be manipulated in the fight against the enemy. In turn, critics of the cult and other opponents are demonized in a manner that brooks no questioning from the loyal followers. Does not this remind us of the ALP? Because of this we can now understand the venom of some non nationals. (This is fueled by misinformation, and a lot of emotionality - Asot’s outburst that “Blood will flow” for example.)

Sixth, cults cultivate a “the end justifies the means” mentality. This may result in members participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group. In the political context, this could include criminal activities, including unprovoked violence against opponents. How does the ALP measure up here? Can we put the shenanigans at the electoral office, and Immigration Department under this one? Certainly we can put the total collusion with evil acts such a bribery here.

So, yes, the more I think about it, the more I see the parallels… Cult: ALP.

It is the only thing that explains the blind allegiance, the circular thinking and closed logic, the deification of the leaders, intolerance to descent, the collusion with corruption, the silence, the beggie, beggie mentality, and the hate mongering.

Now we know what we are up against. We have to reprogramme these people. And the PEOPLE say Amen!

It Is Not Business As Usual!

2009-03-17T15:35:00.001-04:00

By Sojourner

The elections are behind us (or in front of us, because I think that we need to begin now in order to retain the government in 2014!). Let’s face it: The truth is that it is over and thank God, the UPP is still the government!

The other truth is that the road ahead is not going to be easy and the government, No Baldwin, the Honourable Prime Minster has some hard decisions to make. I only hope that when the decisions are made the WE the people will fling our support behind the Prime Minister.

I remember all the banging he got during the early days of his last administration when he was attempting to make some fundamental changes. We talked about victimization, about taking bread out of people’s mouth… we talked… and yapped and yapped and yapped. I just want us to know that this time around, it cannot be things as usual! CANNOT.

The Prime Minister and the UPP have to make some real hard decisions… and he must begin with the public sector. The Public sector is packed like sardines with ALP saboteurs. They are everywhere… they are permanent secretaries, they are SEO’s, CEO’s, receptionists; they are the cleaners… they are the people at the Immigration Department, at Customs, at The Elections Office… They are everywhere.

Now I am not at all suggesting that all of the civil servants ought to be UPP supporters. To the contrary! Civil servants have the right to support whatever party they choose. That is democracy. But civil servants ought to do their jobs in a non-partisan way. They are public servants!

But the reality is that here in Antigua and Barbuda, many of the civil servants are in their positions because of political patronage. These people have never worked for any other government or any other employer and they have a ‘cultish’ loyalty to the ALP. Never mind that the vast majority of them work for pittance and have worked for a pittance because of the ALP 28 year strangle-hold on Antigua! The Bird Government understood the Willy Lynch principle very well. What a thing, the ALP, BIRD, using the same weapons against the people that the slave owners used. (Talk about father of the nation!).

By the way… it was the UPP who not only raised the salaries of all civil servants but gave them the back pay that Lester Bird and his government had been promising them… owing them for years… the same ALP government that they… many of them saboteured the UPP for.

The new UPP administration must clean House. The Government gets its business done through the civil service. The civil service we have now is inefficient and works to sabotage the system. So it cannot be things as usual.

We need to begin at the top: the permanent secretaries. Many of them must GO. Besides many of them came up through the ranks… receptionist, typist… up, up, up and now they have reached to the level of P.S. They have not learned a thing. Incompetent. Inefficient. Years of service does not translate into being more skilled; and to add insult to injury according to local parlance ‘dem bad minded bad!” They keep down a lot of bright energetic upstarts, they frustrate a lot of civil servants who wish to work in a professional way and who have professional training. They have got to go.

The UPP has to make good its plans to institute public sector reform. And they have to get someone with experience outside of our corrupt, inefficient public sector to spearhead this initiative. The public sector must be guided by principles of integrity, productivity and accountability.

There needs to be systems of performance appraisals put in place. Civil servants must be held accountable for outcomes and for output. Civil servants must begin to understand the concept of WORK and its relationship to personal development and integrity and national development.

No longer can we have four persons manning one phone… or civil servants coming into the office late and expect to have breakfast, go to lunch for an hour and come back to the office to eat lunch, sit in an office all day doing everything else except the work for which they are paid. Just think of how much money is lost to non-productivity! It cannot be business as usual.

And, the UPP government needs to provide the tools and the resources for its public sector to deliver on its mandates. It must identify the critical and strategic areas and properly align the resources needed. To tell the truth, you wonder sometimes how come some ministries are more resourced than others... and the ones that are normally under resourced are some awfully critical ones… the ones that will help them to build better relationships, build human capacity (remember the victory speech) of MP for City South) about building relationships not roads!

Additionally, the UPP government needs to concentrate on its support base- the constituency. There must be much robust community mobilization. And it must begin NOW. And for this effort, it is every hand on deck. It cannot be business as usual.

We are all involved, we are all consumed. There is work for everyone.

Join in the campaign to defend our country! It is not business as usual!

Backlash!

2009-03-14T15:56:00.002-04:00

By Mshaka

There is a backlash coming to Antigua! It is a backlash that will be driven by the behaviors of non-nationals and the attitudes they demonstrated during the weeks leading to the recent elections.

This backlash is coming from everyday, grassroots men and women from town and country side. Antiguans are fed up. They are stirred up. People are angry!

This is one Antiguan who believes that the backlash is long overdue. For too long we have allowed Bird, Saunders and Reese to manipulate our immigration system. We have allowed them and their cronies to purposefully pack up Antigua with people from Jamaica and Guyana particularly. And when those people get here, they act as if they are not visitors - but people who have a right to be here. As a matter of fact they act in ways that they cannot act in the towns and villages and ghettos from whence they came.

Most of these people come here because they need work... they need education... and they need medical care. Yes, there are some who are educated... but the level of work that they may get in Guyana cannot compare to the salaries they get here. And, where they are from.. they are politically disenfrancised.

Antiguans are tired of the fact that wherever we go people are speaking Spanish... responding to you in Spanish... act as if you are dumb if you can't speak Spanish... and often choose to serve Spanish speaking people first... even if they are in the back of the line.

And then there are the Jamaicans who are aggressive and try to intimidate both our children and our women. Listen to them speak... listen to their music and the trash that they are chanting... Look at how they dress... men's pants down at their knees... the women showing the buttocks and breasts and everything else...

Within a few short years, Antigua has changed... radically... negatively and violently. Yes... there are Antiguans involved in some of the negativity. But for the most part, most of the negative changes can be laid at the feet of non-nationals - most of them here illegally.... many of them with brought in by polictical operatives of the ALP.... some of them with criminal backgrounds!

But the backlash is being driven because Antiguans have now awakened to the fact that we are fast becoming second class citizens in our own country. We are almost outnumbered... I think we are already outnumbered.

As an Antiguan who has traveled back and forth for over twenty years... I have been more sensitive to these changes than people living here. For years, I have been complaining to my friends and family that the countenance of Antigua had changed. For example, about 12 years ago, I noticed that the Grays Gren area was changing rapidly. Thirty years ago, I used to coach and train the Empire Football Club. I also used to teach at the Greenbay Government School. I lived at Perry's bay for almost forty years of my live. I was born down there!

Each time I came back (several times per year) I would visit King George V grounds to watch the guys practice cricket or soccer. When someone passed by, if I did not know them, I would look at their faces and recognize that they were so-and-so's family... But graudally, I began having problems... Who is that? Where are they from? Oh... they are Dominicans... Guyanese... Jamaicans... Spanish... Jamaicans... Spanish... And so it went... and so it has been.

Now, when I pass through the area... I scarcely see anyone who even looks Antiguan. And... being a student who went to school when I had to pass the G.C.E. and had to learn a more formal type of English... I cannot understand the languages being spoken... sometimes I cannot tell whether it is English or Spanish!

So Antiguans are now fed up. Most Antiguans have been uncomfortable for a long long time! But enough is enough. We won't take it any longer!

We need to take steps to weaken the growing immigrant stranglehold... to destroy the web of manipulation and deceit weaved by the ALP... to obliterate the conspiratorial influence of Bird, Saunders and Reese in which they seek to control the future of Antigua and become Kings and Emperors of Antigua crowned by Jamaicans and Guyanese!

Two Critical Steps We Need to Take... Yesterday!

2009-03-14T15:05:00.003-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

There are many many things that the UPP government need to do... needed to do... have not done... that still needs to be done!

Two of the most critical are the establishment of a national I.D. card and the naming of streets and alleys along with the numbering of each house.

The national I.D. card should be one that is linked to an individual's passport, driver's license, social security card, medical benefit card and their election I.D. card. This of course would be a super I.D. card for each individual who is eligible to vote. The card would also identify where the individual lives.

The naming of streets and alleys is probably the most critical of all the things that our new government needs to implement... post haste! Let's take a look at Greenbay and Gray's Farm. Anyone can say that they live in Perry's Bay. There are no named streets down there. None.

"So you say you live at Perry's Bay? Where exactly?"

"Me live down the alley, walk by the bayside, turn left by Miss Norma... then go between there by Bush and the little green house behind the gray house. And I live there... Its my girl friend's house. My old lady live round the corner, down there by the gutter! Just pass where ' Ras Jess I' rest!"

Did you understand that? Do you think you can find that person?

Still in Gray's Farm: Someone says that they live 'off Christian Street'. Off Christian Street? "Yes... You go up Christian Street, pass the green house on the right... then turn into the alley. When you go into the alley, look for the house with the antenna... then turn right there and go to the blue house with the red drum outside."

One thousand persons can give you any off the addresses above and you cannot challenge them. Because at this time, these are legitimate so-called 'addresses'. If you go looking for them... even if they really live somewhere in that area... you probably won't find them.

So it is critical... it is imperative that we name every street and every alley... every highway and byway. Then we need to number every residence, every apartment and every rented room! Then we need to make those addresses the official residence of addresses of every individual in this country.

When people go to register for their super National ID card, they would have to provide an ID like a driver's license that already has their name and address on it. They would also have to provide additional proof... like a stamped letter addressed to them... a letter which has obviously been already delivered to them. This would take the form of a bill (electricity, water, etc.), or a copy of a letter from their bank that they have received.

These are two critical things that would go a long way to prevent the ALP or any other party from manipulating the electoral system in Antigua and Barbuda! We need to make these changes now... yesterday!

Kudos to Bishop Dorsette

2009-03-14T14:50:00.001-04:00

By Sojourner

Unlike many other polling stations, things went rather smoothly at the one where I voted. When I arrived there at about 6:15 am, there was already a sizeable crowd. People were standing in two lines, huddled together, determined to cast their X. Although the line moved slowly, and some unruly, ill disciplined persons jumped the line, there was not much to complain about. But that is me… at my station…Mary E. Pigott school in the constituency of St. Johns City South.

One of my sisters called me from her polling station at about 8 a.m., when I was just leaving mine. She had gotten there at about 4:30 a.m., and when she was calling me was when the polling station was opening – 8:00 a.m. She had been standing in the line… being there first… and had been there for almost 4 hours! She was not perturbed, just determined to cast her vote. As I drove home, and listened to the radio, I learned that other polling stations were similarly afflicted.

When I got home, there was mounting disquiet about the late start of the voting, and over the fact that some polling stations were still closed. Greenbay school was one such station. I jumped in my car and journeyed to Grays Farm. There were hundreds and hundreds of people standing in the lines. They all seemed determined to vote. And I must say that I felt proud of Grays Farm people… there was no fuss…just quiet determination. They stood there… waiting.

By the time I left there, I had a splitting headache. I was coming down with the flu and standing in the sun had aggravated the situation.

As I listened to radio and heard of the delays, I could not help asking questions about why this happened. How is it that there is all this confusion around an activity that we had all the time in the world to prepare for? As I thought about that, a couple of things came to mind.

Although I would love to jump on the band wagon and lay all the blame at the feet of the commission, I think that other persons must take the blame too.

Yes, the Electoral Commission and the Election Office, must take responsibility for what has happened. After all, the buck stops with them. They should have ensured that they have all the necessary measures in place... including a Plan A and a Plan B. They should have assessed the situation (anticipated the mad rush based on past experiences with the Antiguan public… we are a last minute people); they should have put in place a support staff to augment the work of the office... and should have hired some extra hands; and, they should have anticipated the breakdown of the machine. Most of us who have copied stuff on these machines, know that when these machines are ‘pressured’, they overheat, they stick up, they splat, they breakdown. This is normal machine behavior! And so there should have been a plan B and C.

And there should have been more than one data entry officer. One may be sufficient for the daily operation of the Commission, but at a time when there was this mad rush, in the days before the election, someone should have thought of getting at least another pair of hands. There is only so much that one pair can do!

So the commission dropped the ball there.

But what about the people? The stakeholders, the electors, political parties, and their candidates?

Much of the confusion was caused because we Antiguans and the others who are sneaking in. We caused the problem. Period. Many persons waited until the last minute to look for their cards... in fact many persons did not really look for their cards. They turned up at the commission and expected that their cards would be ready… Pronto!

Now can you see how this mad rush would have prevented the Electoral Office from doing all the necessary things to ready itself for the successful execution of the electoral process? So we are fussing, but we are not fussing with the right people. We dropped the ball too

And it is obvious that the political parties were not doing what they were supposed to do. Too many persons did not even know where they were to cast their vote. It seems like the candidates should have made it their duty to inform the persons in their constituencies. Make it easy for them to vote! So the candidates dropped the ball, big time!

But as I thought about the situation. My mind went into over drive and a lot of pieces of information began to coalesce around voting confusion and began to make sense.

About two years or more ago, someone shared some concerns with me about ALP politicians stuffing constituencies with non nationals. Then, when Mr. Everet Christian, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce raised concern the other day about the increase in the voters’ list, red flags went up. When I put all this together with the situation where one of the ALP candidates… the lawyer who was signing documents for non nationals so that they can get their passport… it all began to make some sense.

Additionally, when I began to think of the situation where there was an inquiry into how many non nationals were illegally acquiring temporary residence status… all with the help of top persons at immigration, it also began to make sense.

And when I think of the persons who are in top positions at Immigration and the Election Office who are strongly aligned to the ALP, I started to smell a rat. Some people would say that things look fishy. Whatever… there is something awry. Something needs to be put under the microscope.

Yesterday, I heard of Bishop Dorsett’s intention to resign and his call for the other commissioners to resign. I say Kudos to Dorsett.

Here is a man of integrity, and one who understands the principle of accountability. It is a decent thing to do.

The Commission presided over a system that failed miserable. It does not matter who is at fault. The buck stops with the Commission. And I agree that they should resign.

So I am adding my voice to Bishop Dorsett’s. But the Bishop did not just stay there. He also calls for the top officers at the Election Office to resign as well. And I strongly support this. In fact I support this move even more than the call for the resignation on of the commissioners. Bishop Dorsett also called for an inquiry which I strongly support, and it must be supported by the public as well.

I want to also add that they must link this inquiry with an inquiry into the distribution of Temporary Residence status given by the Immigration Office over the last 5 years.

Kudos to Bishop Dorsett. Let us join or voices with his. Commissioners and top election officers must resign and we need an inquiry. It won’t be business as usual!

Burn that Big Tent!

2009-03-14T13:24:00.002-04:00

By Marcus Mottley, Ph.D.

Five years ago, the new UPP administration led by Baldwin Spencer opened their arms to embrace members of the ALP who wanted to cross over. Prior to the election of 2004 UPP had invited them to “Come outta that and come into this!”

Before the UPP won a few ALP supporters trickled over… or appeared to.

After UPP won in 2004 there was a red tide that hustled over to be embraced under the “Big Tent”.

Many of us cautioned that the apparent changes in these people were only mirages… acts of deception that they played magnificently on the good intentioned and naive UPP leadership.

As a result, the UPP decision makers not only allowed these ALP people to come over… they gave them jobs… not just jobs but good jobs… Some were placed in positions where they had to make critical decisions and positions where they were privy to classified and highly valuable information.

While in those key positions, the Big Tent ALP members wielded a lot of power: Two or three top positions in the Ministry of Finance! The highest level positions at the immigration department… and top level positions in all the statutory corporations! High positions… including a few ambassadorial positions… They even crowned a known Middle Eastern red fox as minister and allowed him to sit in Cabinet!

In the meantime, UPP decision makers neglected many of their own! The very people who had wandered in the desert with the UPP for 28 years were now taken for granted and in many cases discarded in preference of the ALP supporters who were now protected under the Big Tent!

Some of the UPP faithful who had worked hard year after year, campaign after campaign were cast aside. Many of them became disenchanted… then began to criticize the party that they had supported and protected! Why? Because they saw UPP Ministers and officials adopting a new attitude… embracing members of the Middle Eastern community who had not fought in the trenches all these years… They saw UPP higher-ups making decisions that went against the grain – like being involved with the rogue financial pirate of the Caribbean and the Middle Eastern who sat in the Cabinet! Placing incompetent people in critical positions such as at the new stadium… (where they messed up – by incompetence or as part of a ploy… it doesn’t matter). The UPP faithful were very upset… and still are.

Now, here we are after the 2009 election where we barely scraped though… barely! All of those red people under the Big Tent… well… guess who they voted for?

They went right back to vote red! Well… they never really left… they found the good intentioned, naive UPP leadership easy to manipulate. And they took advantage of them in order to get high paying jobs and positions of power and influence!

Have you ever attended an ALP meeting or rally? They were all there. No many of them did not wear red… but they were there in the crowds. A few days before the elections one of them… one who holds the top position in a financial agency… commented to another person that “We caught UPP with their pants down!”

Here we are… with UPP winning nine (9) seats… most of them just barely! Those people under the Big Tent did not help! They all acted as plants and spies. Over the last five years they were patiently waiting, gathering and shoveling information to the ALP directorate, building support among the undecided… just biding their time!

Here we are after the 2009 election with the full knowledge that the Big Tent was used against the UPP! A strategy developed by UPP decision makers was most effectively used against them right under our noses. And over the years our leaders refused to listen to the common folk who objected to the existence of a red tent within the UPP front yard.

So, here we are! Today I am calling for that UPP Big Red Tent to be burned down to blue ashes!

We don’t need any red tent. What we need to do is strengthen and empower the UPP core of supporters. We need to focus on those who brought the UPP out of the desert, those who saved them yesterday and those who will form the wall of protection over the next five years.

We need to organize at the grassroots level and develop leaders at all levels of the UPP rather than trying to steal leaders from the ALP. We need to take the best, brightest and most passionate of our supporters, develop them, empower them, coach and mentor them and get them ready to lead.

We need to foster a new generation of UPP leaders to take us into the next three election cycles. We need a vision for the party… not just for the country! And we need people at the helm who can deliver on that vision.

We also need to thank those who have tried to represent us but have lost. We need to examine whether or not those people have the mettle, the intestinal fortitude, the social personality and the leadership aptitude to represent us in their constituencies! If they don’t… we need to replace them with some of the people who we should be preparing… coaching, mentoring and developing!

But now… right now… right here… we must burn that Big Red Tent down…. burn it into blue ashes and dump in the blue ocean!

Deal with the Immigrant Issue Now!

2009-03-13T18:52:00.002-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Now that the United Progressive Party has been re-elected to govern Antigua and Barbuda, there are several very critical things that need to be done – even before they begin to address the programs in their manifesto!

Today I will address one of the most painful and controversial issues that will divide many of us. What this election has showed is that it has already divided us!

I am writing about the immigrant issue where non-Antiguans can vote in our elections after being in the country for just three years. These people… some of whom are just passing through… are given the highest privilege that can be assigned to anyone: the opportunity to decide who should lead the country. In so doing, many of them seek to vote in ways that serve their interests… the interests of the immigrant community… which often conflicts with and differs from the interests of many Antiguans and Barbudans.

Many of them boast that they can and will decide our elections and many of them aggressively and often violently confront us in our own country. Imagine that! They come from Jamaica and Guyana and elsewhere… come here and want to fight me… spit at me… curse me out… and try to disenfranchise me. Me… a born Antiguan.

On this issue – whatever needs to be done… needs to be done now before Antiguans and Barbudans rise up! And I mean rise up! I am fed up with feeling like a second class citizen in my own country where Jamaicans, Guyanese, Dominicans and Spanish speaking individuals – act as if they are masters (and mistresses) of my land!.

Many of these people are… for some reason… running from their own country. Many of them have come here for opportunities that they don’t have where they were born. Here, they compete with our people for jobs… no problem! The children they brought with them get free education in our public schools… no problem! They get free hospitalization and free medical care… no problem. Their non-Antiguan children get free school meals… no problem!

And… they get the privilege… after only three years… to vote in our elections… BIG PROBLEM!

And with these things that they receive… they believe that they have the right… the right… to do as they will and to act as if this is their country… BIG PROBLEM!

Well… enough is enough!

Do you think that I can go to Jamaica and act like they do when they come here? Do you think that I could go to Guyana and act they way some Guyanese act and behave here in Antigua?

Enough is enough! This problem must be dealt with. And those politicians who have imported immigrants so that they can vote in our elections must also be dealt with. One way or the other!

As a born Antiguan… I will not be made a second class citizen in my homeland. I have travelled to the USA. I am a US citizen. I have a US passport. Before I received those do you think that I could behave the way these people behave. Every day… every step of the way… the US government made you understand in a thousand different ways that you were an “alien” in their country.

And let me make another issue clear: I did not give up my rights here as a native born Antiguan when I received a US Passport! (This is another matter that I will deal with in another article!)

Here in Antigua we must develop a clear immigration policy that allows and disallows entry. We must have a clear policy that strictly lays out the levels of privileges for various immigrant classifications. And we must have laws that we will rigorously implement for those who violate them including those for the public officials, politicians and lawyers who assist guilty non-natives.

Immigration and emigration is a fact of life. People will move to and fro. As a matter of fact the most powerful factor in globalization today is not economy or finance – it is the movement of people from one country to another. It cannot be stopped. It will not be stopped. But it must be controlled.

We must be both careful and strategic in who we give the privilege to work among us. We must be cautious in selecting those who we allow the privilege to live next door or we might find ourselves with another sniper as our neighbor, or an individual with a lengthy criminal record from another country who we have teaching our children as our neighbor.

Lest you think that I am blindly anti-immigrant let me fill you in. My mother is Barbadian…. she came here almost 70 years ago. All the people who are closest to me were born elsewhere. They are all non-Antiguans! But they are here legally! They did not circumvent the system that is in place so that they could vote or get a passport! And they have been here for over seven years… even my children!

I have thought long and hard before I wrote this article. I have chosen to do so because of what I saw this week… when several times I was confronted by non-Antiguans in red who acted as if I was the immigrant… as if they were the ones born at Holberton… as if they were the ones who used to carry water on their head at Perry Bay… or teach at Greenbay School… or coach soccer at King George…

I will not suffer any indignities at the hands of people who are imported to vote and disenfranchise me!

Yes… yes… This is the time for gentle engagement… and gentle dialogue and gentlemanly discussion.

But hear me clearly… Do not mistake the gentle dialogue from this Antiguan for lack of seriousness or firm commitment… to address this issue by whatever means necessary.

People like me have been gentle too long… have been quiet too long. I will be quiet no longer… I will not be stifled… not here where my mother gave birth to me!

I did not drink Cooks pond water… but I bathed in and swallowed Perry Bay water… and for those who know what that means… well… you will understand why I feel this way about my country.

Plenty of Levity… But No Brevity!

2009-03-12T09:56:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

As I stood in the line this morning waiting to vote, I was surprised at the levity and good humour that people exhibited.

Most people in my line appeared to be frustrated at how slowly the line was moving. They were particularly perturbed because the other line was moving much more quickly. As I understood it… one line was ‘greased’ with molasses and the other was greased with tar! Our line had the tar – yet people were very respectful of each other and quite jovial! There was levity… but certainly no brevity!

One loud individual indicated that he was in a hurry to vote because he wanted to go back home so that he could watch the process unfold on television. He wanted to see the politicians ‘sweat’, pace back and forth, wring their hands, and smile at people they never saw before.

“This is the last time for five years that ah we will see dem act like if ahwe important,” he said. “As the day go by, me will get more fun as the candidates become more and more frightened.”

As I stood in the senior citizen’s line with my 94 year old mother, he remarked “Me go fine some ole somebady for hole onto… so me can get outta this line yah quick!” Then he began to address some of the senior citizens as granny and mammie and even auntie!

So, as people patiently waited to take care of this serious business of voting, they were entertaining and entertained.

But the lines moved slowly… too slowly! Once you got inside the process was smooth… although some people stayed in there for over 15 minutes! Getting inside was the problem. And then there were those people who tried to find some reason why they should be given preferential treatment. Some of those I can understand… like my 95 year old mom.

I certainly don’t understand why police officers in uniform were given the advantage of being allowed to vote as soon as they showed up! They are working people like everyone else… the rules apply to them too! Unless you are over sixty then you stay in the line like everyone else. Except in my case – of course – where I had brought my mom, I then was given the courtesy of voting after her.

This was one of the only times that my mother claimed her senior citizen status… normally when we say that she is 95 she responds that we have numbers backward… Of course her legs and knees began to hurt after standing in the line… even the senior citizen’s line for one hour! There were no seats in the area to accommodate her… She had to stand!

But the light banter that flowed through the crowd helped people to manage waiting. As one of the candidates passed by, one of the people in the crowd shouted: “Me in this line since 5 O’clock, this ya no “cute” taaaaaaall!” Everyone had a bellyful on that one – even the candidate!

The other candidate brought a voter whose hand was in a plaster. The polling clerk who was guarding the door looked at her hand… examined the cast… and pushed her to the head of the line – even my 94 year old mother. One individual commented: “Them ha this new thing at the new hospital… invisible leg cast… Ah that she hab on! Them ah work pon the one for the hand…” So because of her leg with the invisible cast and with the invisible leg pain that she was suffering… she had to be sent to the front.

This morning there were both both levity and lack of brevity… Tonight… well… tonight is going to be a long night… particularly for the politicians!

Don’t Be Complacent!

2009-03-12T09:18:00.001-04:00

By Patriot

This is a response to Mshaka’s article “Rock Solid”.

I understand the reasons for concluding that the UPP is rock solid. I'm with that 100% in the conviction that the UPP's record makes a clear cut case for a second term.

My concern is that some among us may use this (i.e. the conviction that the UPP is rock solid) as an excuse or justification for not voting.

To persons with such thoughts, I caution you in the strongest terms possible - DON'T TAKE THAT RISK!!!

It's not over until it's over. Complacency is our worst enemy.

Remember that all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men and women to remain quiet (or not vote).

So, let's early out and keep them out and then turn our attention to the important task of nation building.

Focus on the Future

2009-03-11T23:44:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I urge all Antiguan and Barbudan citizens to focus on the future as they vote in tomorrow’s historic elections.

What is your vision of the future?

Do you see a country that continues on the track of good governance, decent leadership and political restraint?

Or do you see a country that will be racked with political diatribe by an incoming team of politicians hell bent on saving themselves from the legal nightmare that faces them?

Do you envision a future where our leaders turn their attention fully on addressing the current global financial crisis? Do you see our leaders continuing to minimize the impact of the global financial crisis on the lives of common folk by developing meaningful programs that touch everyone? Do you see a well run new hospital, a modern library that serves our educational needs, and a car park that reduces the parking and traffic crunch and confusion in the city?

Our future is at the crossroads and it is in our hands… yours and mine. I know that I am going to vote responsibly… I know that I will vote UPP!

Do what you will with your vote… and remember: There is a child who does not want the school meal program rolled back; there is a teenager who is depending on the library to be completed; there is an elderly pensioner who wants to make sure that she gets her monthly check… without fail; there is a university student overseas who wants to know that the government is going to fulfill its commitment to pay for his education; there is an old man who wants to make sure that he gets his free medications from the clinic; there is a hotel worker and a vendor who want to be assured that the tourists will visit; there is a small business person who would like to invest in the new programs that are being developed by the current government; and, there are our children – yours and mine – who want to be assured that our lands are not given away or gifted to the next smooth-talking investor who visits our beautiful shores…

Let us focus on the future… it is in our hands… yours and mine! Let’s be responsible… I suggest that you vote UPP!

We Must Not Turn Back

2009-03-11T19:48:00.001-04:00

By A Patriot

I am asking you to join me in voting for the United Progressive Party (UPP) this Thursday, March 12th. The polls are open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and don't forget to take your voter identification card with you! If you don't know where to vote or if you don't know if you're eligible to vote, you can find out on the UPP website:

http://www.uppantigua.com/action/lookup

If you need a ride to the polls, please contact your UPP constituency office:

http://www.uppantigua.com/contact

The UPP has done so much for this country. From paying our pensioners to opening Mt. St. John's to starting the School Meals Programme and the School Uniforms programme. The UPP made promises to us in 2004 and they've delivered.

Now, they're planning to open the University of Antigua and Barbuda. They also plan to give us the right to own, have a say over and profit from state owned companies through their Power to the People initiative. The UPP has us on the right track and headed in the right direction. We must not turn back.

The ALP's manifesto is a dangerous document that promises voodoo economics that will make our country as poor as Haiti. Their sinful rhetoric calling for us to be divided into tribes, calling our church leaders wicked and evil and calling for blood to flow in the streets shows us that they are not fit to lead.

I hope you'll join me in voting solidly UPP on Justice Day, Thursday, March 12th. Every vote counts and I personally hope that you'll join me in voting UPP. Our country needs us.

Remember, all that it needs for evil to prosper is for good men and women to remain quiet.

Please ensure that your voice is heard in defense and love of Antigua and Barbuda by voting for the United Progressive Party Candidate in tomorrow's elections.

No!

2009-03-11T08:34:00.001-04:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

No! Not again! We won’t return ALP to dominance!

It is unbelievable that anyone would want to vote for Lester Bird and that group. Unbelievable that people have such short memories that they forget what had happened over the 28 years of ALP reign.

No! Not again! ALP must remain on the dust heap of history!

It is inconceivable that any Antiguan or Barbudan would want to turn back the hands of time. The ALP represents the past, the corrupt… everything that reflects the darkest days in Antigua and Barbuda’s history. Have people forgotten that ALP could not pay the people’s salaries in 2003? Have people forgotten that ALP had to borrow money from everyone and everywhere in order to run the country? Have people forgotten that our country’s name became synonymous with corrupt leaders? Have people forgotten that an ALP led Antigua was connected to illegal arms, drug running, inappropriate use of grants and loans from developed countries, and much much more?

No! Not again! ALP must stay on the sidelines!

Antiguans and Barbudans must not forget that ALP opened the door to allow foreigners to take over this country – just so that they could try to get an edge at election time! Now foreigners outnumber the native born! An ALP has promised them blanket amnesty… for both the benign and the criminal element!

No! No ALP again… never! Banish them to the history books!

The Medical Benefit scam that they schemed up. It was a scheme from the beginning; the fact that they drained all the money out of Social Security; the fact that they sucked all the money out of State Insurance; the fact that they siphoned off the money from the Free Trade Zone; the fact that they skimmed $11 million from the airport project; the fact that they got money for the South African arms deal; the fact that there were passport scams that included the infamous sniper who terrorized the Washington, DC area; the fact that they got dirty rich from being Government ministers; the fact that they stole all the sand from Barbuda; the fact that they gave our lands away to the pirate… the one that will soon be arrested by the FBI; the fact that they knew that what he was doing was illegal; the fact that he lined their pockets in return for known and unknown deals that they agreed on with him; the fact that he probably owns more acres in Antigua that we are yet to uncover; the fact that some of their ministers were not only involved in corrupt financial dealings… but also in immoral Sodom and Gomorrah type practices…

What else can ALP do wrong? What evil have they not done? And people still want to reward them… and give them another chance?

No! Never again! Give ALP up to the history books.

ALP… Not… not today… certainly not tomorrow… Never again.

No! No! We don’t want them! No!

~~ALP~~. No!

“The Audacity of Dem People”

2009-03-09T18:05:00.001-04:00

By Sojourner

There is a lot of buzz in the air… much ado… but not about nothing! Because for this election it seems like EVERYTHING is at stake....the stakes are high high… and politicians are pulling out all the stops!

So there is a lot of discussion around all the politics: the expensive billboards, the number of plywood signs, the red plastic… and blue plastic, the red streamers hanging over our heads like biddie biddie, the calypsos and other songs (even heard a clap clap one), the Ads… oh the Ads!

To me it's it all so hilarious, and even though I do not want to respond, when I hear one or two of them I cannot help my self from laughing and my body from jigging.

But today much of the discussions I got into centred on the non-national issue.

It is funny how in this election, everybody is concerned about non-nationals. The UPP is walking on egg shells trying not to antagonize them! And the ALP, acting like a rich knight, or the dashing prince trying to woo the poor peasant girl.

I hope that those non nationals also know that sometimes those dashing princes just turn out to be toads that can only croak (or smoke pipe), or trolls that do wicked things to unsuspecting, needy and sometimes greedy peasant girls!

Anyhow, there is a lot of anxiety about the non-nationals. And, there is much suspicion about how they have acquired their Temporary Residence status.

One suspicion is that plenty of them, apparently with help from top people at immigration were able to get the status with out spending the required 3 years here. The nerve of these people!

Now I do not know if this is true, but the persons who added this information in the discussion, should know. If this is true something needs to be done about this. Yes, it is late for that now, but when UPP wins the public trust again – for the second time, they must put their foot down and have clean up these illegal practices at the Immigration Department… and elsewhere…

Talking about Immigration... I also understand that that whole place needs cleaning out… (Other places too!) And again, much of the discussion was about how the UPP dropped the ball. They left all them ALP die-hards in positions where they can do damage and sabotage. And damage they apparently have been doing for the past five years. Now, the chickens are coming home to roost… or in the words of a high ranking comrade, “We catch dem with them pants down.”

What audacity… that an Antiguan… a well placed Antiguan… a professional Antiguan with a “king”-sized job… An Antiguan pitied by the UPP and given a seat at the table… but an Antiguan non-the-less… would stoop so low as to help to disenfranchise Antiguans and Barbudans for political gain… maybe other gain too!

Then the discussion shifted to how the non-nationals walking around large, like dem own the place, looking at you funny if you don't sound like dem. Just imagine, Antiguans feeling uncomfortable in our own yard... Antiguans marginalized in their own country.

Can you imagine going to Jamaica and taking over the place, or going to Guyana and acting like you run things… The audacity of these people come here trying to take charge and skew our election!

Can you imagine non-nationals having this kind of power in any other Caribbean country? In St Lucia? In Dominica? In Trinidad? In Barbados? Well, Barbados, is the last place I should have mentioned. Because, in Barbados they have a bench at the airport call the “Guyana Bench” when they come in at the airport, they put them to sit on it and send them packing on the next available flight! So Barbados won't have this kind of problem. We shouldn’t either.

You know the thing that bothers me, is that when I check out the scene, it seems like most Antiguans, have gotten tired of ALP, tired of their corruption, tired of their immorality, tired of all the wheeling and dealing… Just tired of them. But the non-nationals seem to be in a drunken stupor… and when I hear them talking about blue chicken, and about how the UPP wicked and don’t love non-nationals… I really really get vex! The audacity and nerve of them!

After we take care of business on Thursday, March 12th we have got to take care of this non-national issue… once and for all!

Rock Solid

2009-03-09T17:32:00.001-04:00

By Mshaka

Never mind that ALP seems to have quietly, some say illegally, registered hundreds of new voters. Never mind that many of these so-called ‘new registered voters’ have not collected their voter registration cards. Never mind that the rumor mill says that these people will show up without their cards… and be allowed to vote because their names will be on the voters’ list.

Never mind those things. The UPP is solid. They have performed solidly! They have solid candidates. They have responded solidly to the local, regional and global challenges of our changing world! And, they have provided sound, ethical and visionary leadership! UPP is Rock Solid! We will return them to governance!

Never mind that it is rumored that six retired Guyanese military officers came in yesterday and were greeted by one of the red tide’s operatives. Never mind that people on the street are saying that those men have been brought in to cause mayhem.

Never mind all of that… the UPP is solid. They have delivered change that we can see and in the next term will bring more positive and uplifting change to Antigua and Barbuda. UPP is Rock Solid! We will vote for them and then they will deal with those illegals who are causing mayhem in the country. Return them to Governance!

Never mind that ALP operatives… who the UPP took pity on and left in places of high power are now turning their backs and jumping out of the ill-conceived “Big Tent”. Never mind that these same executives have been clandestinely working against the only Government they could ever really depend on!

Never mind all that… UPP is solid. Those same highly placed government and statutory executives, (some of them under-cover) will definitely be kicked out this time. They have continued to undermine the government of the day. They have worked clandestinely to do harm, to share information with their ALP handlers and to purposefully place obstacles to any UPP success anywhere and everywhere. This time… this time… they will get their just deserves. UPP will deal with them from a position of strength because UPP is Rock Solid! Return them to give good governance!

Never mind that the red tide has brought in their own pollsters to fudge the numbers to reflect their dreams. Never mind that the real results of their so-called polls embarrassingly were just like all the other polls - showing UPP winning almost all the seats!

Never mind all that because UPP is Rock Solid! Polls or not… we will vote them back in!

Never mind that they promised to give the disgraced pirate whatever he wanted, to do with as he wanted, whenever he wanted and for however long he wanted to misuse our resources. Never mind that since they received the last investment they received from him in February, they have scrounged to get money - both for their campaign and equally for their pockets. Never mind that some of them have received thousands of dollars and other kickbacks over the years – Just for cooperating with the disgraced pirate of the Caribbean… for looking the other way… while he robbed us blind!

Never mind that! UPP is solid. First we know that a new era of accountability has arrived on our shores. The UPP is solid… with a solid set of ethical guidelines already in place and a solid slate of candidates who we will return to lead our country on Justice Day.

Never mind that the leaders of the red tide have flights booked for weekend travel. Never mind that they will probably run before they have to face the charges! If they run, we will catch them. If they hide, we will find them. The UPP is Solid as a Rock. You can run but you can’t hide – not from the 2009, newly elected UPP Government!

Never mind that all the crapeau and frogs are disappearing from the ponds and swamps… (going to learn to smoke pipe… is what I heard!)

Never mind all of that! Let us get this election over and done with. Go out and vote on Thursday! Show them that the UPP is Rock Solid and wont be beat!

Chalk and Cheese!

2009-03-08T16:39:00.009-04:00

By Sojourner

I pride myself on being a rational and reasonable person. But when I hear the ALP leaders and supporters talking about how the UPP has done nothing for the past 5 years, I literally started second guessing myself. I had to stop myself, step back and take a look at the situation. And I love to be fair, so I literally stepped outside myself and looked at the situation from an objective position.

The best way I know how, is to judge the UPP against the standard ALP. You see I need to make a good and sound judgment this election. My country is too important to make a decision willy nilly.

So here I go... and I want you to come along in this exercise with me, like a good sport......

ALP - Pensioners disgruntled, their pleas for relief disregarded... They received less than $300 per month. Lots of them still had to use this to pay utilities.

UPP - Pensioners negotiated successfully for benefits. They now receive upwards of $1000 per month. Even with this, their utilities are heavily subsidized.

ALP - Civil servants were taken for granted and month after month after month, they received their salaries late. Civil servants could not pay bills on time... they could not pay their mortgages on time. They incurred late fees and many of them faced the embarrassment of calls from businesses reminding them of their payments.

UPP - Civil servants received salaries on time every month. Bills paid on time, mortgages paid on time. No late charges, no returned checks, no disgusting phone calls!

ALP - Public Library damaged in 1974 and abandoned. No public library built. The dingy room upstairs Lolita's that passes for a library is grossly inadequate.... and has been grossly inadequate for over 28 years!

UPP - New Public Library is near completion. This is a top of the line facility and will support thousands of students in their academic work.

ALP - Few scholarships awarded annually. Lots of scholarships poured in from abroad, but most not used and many thrown into wastepaper baskets at the various ministries. Result- a largely unqualified and untrained population. Result- people from other places move in and scoop up jobs and high positions because they are better trained and more qualified. They turn up with papers... certifcates, diplomas, degrees.

UPP - Quantum increase in the number of scholarships offered. Young Antiguans are studying everywhere... Cuba, UWI, USA, Canada, England, Japan, Israel, Singapore, China, India... And they are studying all sorts of things... the UPP is building capacity, readying a young generation to add value to the national growth and development while preparing themselves for the challenges of CSME and globalization.

ALP - Scant regard for the health of the nation. This is reflected in the way they kept Holberton... and how they treated the nurses.

UPP - Reorganized the health sector. Improved community health care. Completed Mount St. Johns and put plans in place for a tip top health care delivery system.

ALP - Simply nasty and worthless. St. Johns under their watch attested to this. Smelly, dirty, with clouds of flies. I often wondered how the tourists felt, coming from their cities with clean streets and well trimmed gardens (Not many tourists come from New York!)!

UPP - St. Johns can rival any developing city. Garbage disposals for all to use, covered drains, cobble stones, nicely paved sidewalks. We are heading toward "Metropol"!

ALP - Plenty, plenty dirt roads, and alleys long forgotten. When it rained, you better made sure that you had enough plastic bags for shoe covers. Ask the people in Briggins and they will tell you. "Me nar lie, Me nar make up story!" My friends in neighbouring islands used to grind me about our roads too.

UPP - Well, just look around and see. The UPP embarked on a proper road rehabilitation programme. There are now lots of good roads. Concrete roads to boot. And the people in Briggins and Belmont say that "the cute one" should be paying toll to use the road.

ALP - Children go to school hungry because many parents could not afford to give them food or money. Now if you don't believe me ask any teacher. Find out how many of them used to have to give these hungry children food to eat. Even the ALP ones will tell you this!

UPP - Children get hot meals at school. Teachers get hot meals too... good, nutritious food! Everybody is happy, and everybody is ready to learn (and teach)!

ALP - Parents feared September. Book Scheme Prgramme was some help but they still had plenty expenses. School fees to pay, school supplies to buy, and school uniforms to buy. Imagine having two, three, four, five children...

UPP - Parents relieved of some of the expenses and much of the stress. The School Uniform Grant is a big help and more schools benefit from the Book Scheme Programme. (Even the private schools now benefit more!)

ALP - They are trying to find something they did for young people over the 28 years and they are finding it hard! Oh... the Manpower Work Programme. Now as I remember this, I am getting angry, because this was a programme to exploit young people's labour and benefit the politicians' business friends. These young people on these work programmes were always in a state of perpetual probation... while government subsidized not them... but their crony business supporters.

And there is the Land for Youth Programme..problem is that they sold the same plot to more than one youth; or the promised several young people the same plot. Advantage!

The NYO was a bunch of young people who supported ALP and no one can tell you what they did. Maybe we should ask the elderly minister of religion who was head of the NYO to give an account of his stewardship.

UPP - The establishment of community computer access centres, the fencing and upgrading of sport complexes are among the many things that have been initiated. Now there is a youth division with a comprehensive programme and there is a National Youth Policy.

ALP - Borrow, borrow with no intention of repaying. They left with a bad international reputation with lending agencies,

UPP - Has repaid a lot of the debts racked up by the ALP. and has committed to reducing the national debt. As a result, Antigua and Barbuda has now gained some international respectability

ALP - They go out of their way to pack up the place with foreigners. They seemed to have actually had a "Foreigners Voter Programme". As part of that programme some cute ministers were reported to have been involved in passport shenanigans. When they were kicked out of power, they found other ways to continue their cute scams, reportedly.

UPP -Shows respect for our hard working Caribbean brothers and sisters. Has ended the pawn game of the ALP by instituting the Mellinium Naturalization Act. Legal initiatives were developed so that our non-Antiguan born residents could play their full roles in the development of our country. They have received all rights benefits and privileges of citizenship with the UPP Government. No under-the- table- scheme..no hanky panky.

Now, when I do the comparison, its like comparing chalk to cheese. It is clear to me that the UPP in its short 5 years has done much much more than the ALP over its 28 plus years reign. It is clear to me that the UPP and Antigua are the right fit. It is clear to me who has the country at heart - and it is not the ALP (never mind that the ALP's logo is a heart... that heart means brazeness!)

And so it is abundantly clear who deserves to take Antigua and Barbuda into the future.

It has to be UPP.

.

Defend Our Name: Antigua & Barbuda!

2009-03-07T00:06:00.004-05:00

I Feel Proud To Be An Antiguan

By Sojourner

What's a name... we ask. A name is a name. But is that really so?

Today I toyed around with other names... I pretended to be Jane, Nicole, Pamella...and they did not seem right and did not feel right! I am not a Jane. I am not a Pamella. And I am certainly no Nicole.

I am Sojourner! I love my name, the sound of it..what it stands for: Truth! And when someone calls me by that name... I feel very proud!

Well, I feel the same way about Antigua and Barbuda! I feel proud to be Antiguan and Barbudan. But when I really look at it, I only recently started feeling this way about the name of our twin island state. Well let's just say I started feeling proud about 5 years ago... And if you think that there is a coincidence that this happened at the time the UPP took office.. Well you may be on to something.

But it is not a coincidence. A coincidence just means that two things happen to be occurring at the same time. Well this aint no coincidence, because, the UPP has a direct link to my feeling proud to be an Antiguan and Barbudan.

I see a government that is respectable. A government where the ministers are respectable... and respectful. And, yes, although one or two of them may have had a few moments of indiscretion... we know that those were just momentary lapses that do not characterize their over-all behaviours and track record.

The other day I heard an old lady saying how good she felt to see the UPP ministers in public with their wives. Now this old lady is in her nineties and she has seen much.... But this minister and family and wife thing is new to her. And she likes it.

I did not even realize how much this meant to people, but just today I heard a young man in his twenties saying the very same thing! How he'll vote for the UPP because they seem to believe in family values more than the ALP. Now when you hear a young man talking about family and espousing values... you have to take notice. And I really feel even prouder of the UPP ministers because they have impacted a young man who is taking notice and is learning some important lessons.

I feel proud when I go overseas and I hear the comments about how the country is now on the right track (right direction too!). Now this is something I think all Antiguans and Barbudans... native and non-nationals take for granted. People in other countries cannot understand how come we seemingly decent people called Antiguans and Barbudans could have put up with indecency and corruption for so long! Privately they say we either corrupt too or we 'fooley'.

I have been to international forums and conferences and heard people from other countries talk about the ALP ministers and government personnel who used to represent us. Apparently, our former representatives, elected, appointed and salaried, would leave Antigua, enter the country where the conference would have been held, but never show up at these meetings... They go on shopping sprees and visit concubines ... or take their mistresses... on state trips which were paid with state resources.

To tell you the truth, I used to feel so ashamed! But when the UPP was elected and took the reins of leadership, my foreign colleagues and attendees at these sessions did a right about turn so fast it made my head spin! When they talk of our country - Antigua and Barbuda - they actually speak without hesitancy - and you can look them in the eye. Yea man... I feel proud. I am proud!

I feel proud... because those international agencies are talking to Antigua again.... Looking at us respectfully again... They feel that they can now trust the government to properly use the monies they either lent or granted us. In fact Antigua is off the black list of all of these international agencies.

I feel proud to be Antiguan and Barbudan because we have cleared off a lot of our debts run up by the ALP. Now I don't know about you, but I hate to owe people. When you owe people, you don't feel right, you don't like to bounce up on them, you tired making up excuses and you always fearful that they come to reclaim their goods (Like Courts & them Syrians), or they expose you and put your name out there in the public. There is no pride in that. So when Antigua and Barbuda paid what we owed to these international agencies, I felt proud. Now, I feel like I can hold my head up and walk in the world.

I feel proud when the Prime Minister said to that rich foreign investor that Antigua and Barbuda is not for sale. And I thank God that Lester and his gang are out of the equation (and will be kept out of the equation). Remember Lester was willing to sell off Antigua in less than the 24 hours that the rich investor gave him to make up his mind. Imagine that! I felt proud when PM Spencer stood up tall and said to local investors that they must respect him and the position of Chief Servant of the people of Antigua and Barbuda. I felt like he was standing up for me. I felt proud. I still feel proud. I am proud!

I feel proud about the many social projects of the UPP... I feel the dignity that comes from a dignified government that brings programs that allow low income people to walk with their heads held high.

I am now imagining how the school children must feel: happy, relieved, normal. Can you imagine a child going to school, with dry bread or maybe with a little butter or mayonnaise daubed on it? Or maybe with some other little thing that the child's mother managed to scrape together? Can you imagine that child going to school now... and having much more to eat - like all the other kids at school? Now that child doesn't have to hide to take out their dry bread daubbed with butter or mayonnaise, or even peanut butter. Now they are eating in style..yes, because they have china plate, and silver fork. Think about it... many children must feel proud.. and very special. Thanks UPP!

And the parents must feel relieved too cause they don't have to worry about providing those meals for their children. Now many of them will be afraid to say this in public or even to think it for fear of being disloyal to the ALP! But I believe that in their heart of hearts... they feel proud too!

And when I see the Public Library... although it is not completed... with all that activity around that important project... I feel proud.

And when I see St. Johns, and the efforts being made to keep it clean and beautiful... cobble stones... beautiful side walks... covered gutters... I feel proud!

And when I see the county pond, especially when it is lit... I feel proud.

And when I visit mount St Johns I feel proud. I only hope that we keep it clean. You know how you keep your things says a lot about you... how you keep your yard, your school books.... etc. I only hope that some bad-minded people don't slice up the chairs or mark up the walls. I hope we keep it in tip top fashion. And if I sound a little anxious forgive me. But you and I know how some people can make party politics get the better of them.

The other day a lady had a difficult time taking a sick child to Mount St. Johns, because she was afraid that her husband would find out that she went up there. Imagine that..Now it is that kind of backward thinking that would make someone scratch up and deface the place on purpose. It is that kind of thinking that worries me... But, on the other hand, I think those people are in the minority. They are not going to stop the show. We will not let them. We are too proud of our nation!

Antigua ah shine. And me proud for be wan Antiguan and Barbudan... And, no! Me no born ya... but you can't tell. Me Antiguan!

Non-National Young People

2009-03-06T10:50:00.010-05:00

By Sojourner

The other day I overheard a conversation between some young people and from their accents I determined that they were non-nationals. Well they spoke about the UPP in disparaging terms..."they tief..." "them lie..." "them spend thrift..." "them corrupt..." They talked about how "them taxing poor people..."

Grrrrr... I felt my blood getting hot... really hot. With some effort I restrained myself... and I did not put in my two pence... like I would normally do. I guess, I did not trust my mouth... You know once you open it.... sometimes it has a way to do its own thing and disregard the owner. So yes, I kept quiet.

But, I got to thinking of how dem pickney de either ungrateful, or dem just spouting all the things them hear the ALP people say... either way, they must be reminded of some things. And I will do it...

To start off... they are here in Antigua, and even though we are smaller than where they are coming from, here in Antigua and Barbuda they have more than where they came from... That's why they came here!

But let us stick to the points on which they say that they judge the UPP.

"Them spendthrift..." Well yes, the UPP is indeed spending... and most of that spending is on young people. And, a lot of these young people are non-nationals! Do you see how non-nationals reach the head of the line over Antiguans? Everytime!

Check out the scholarships. And when parents come here and sneak in their children, they end up in our schools, and they benefit just as nationals from the school meals programme and the uniform programme. So, yes! UPP is spending money on them just like they spend money on us... Antiguans and Barbudans!

"UPP taxing poor people..." Well, this just goes to show that these young people fall prey to the ALP lies about people not being intelligent and people not reading. Why? Because these bright young people (I say 'bright' because they were having this conversation at one our tertiary institutions - but they were talking stupidness) ought to know that 'poor people' do not pay income tax... and they should know that a whole host of goods are exempted from the VAT.

As 'bright' young people studying Economics, and Sociology etc, they should appreciate, even at an intellectual level, the importance of paying taxes and they should be able to link this to the many benefits they now enjoy.

These very young people are looking to go off the University in one or two years and they expect the same Government to pay the costs! In fact there are more young people in universities today than at any other time of our nations' history.

In the old time days... the ALP days, politicians and their people in high positions used to literally throw away the scholarships into the wastepaper baskets. "No! No! We don't want too many poor people getting education! No... No... Their eyes will be opened... We want them to stay dumb... gullible... loyal and grateful for papa's ALP handouts.

And these young people have the gall to be talking like this! In their own countries where they come from... they pay taxes... they come here in search of a better life and fuss at a government that is giving them the future that ALP did not... could not... and definitely... would not! And let's be clear... Will not... ever!

And you know something, many of these young people will be going on to UWI. Well let's talk about taxes... In Barbados locals pay about 35% of their earnings in tax and Barbadians don't complain. The young people there are grateful because they see the benefits and they enjoy the scholarships. And, the Barbados government has gone even further to use its taxpayers money to offer scholarships to students from the OECS! So these very students who are complaining about our taxes here, will go on to Barbados to enjoy education supported by the Barbadian taxpayer! The Barbadian tax payer should complain about them!

These young non-nationals are not thinking straight! It is like the like ALP cobweb clogging up their brain! I am sure they have parents and cousins and uncles and aunts and neighbours... all non-nationals who backed in their trucks to benefit from the voluntary retirement package. I know plenty plenty non-nationals who benefitted. Plenty plenty! In fact I know a husband and wife team who both got the package! I am sure that between both of them they got well over $100,000. And what did they do next? They packed up their georgie bundles and headed out of Wadadli and up to Babylon!

Others, sent the money home to invest in real estate and to prop up their houses and put them on stilts! Others are trying to turn their hands at some business idea! Non-nationals benefitted more from this UPP initiative than nationals. You think these young people don't know that? Of course they do! And if they don't... then they not so 'bright' after all.

They talked about UPP 'corrupt' and 'lie', but frankly, I do not have a clue as to what they are talking about. Guess that I should have asked them... But I think that, not being Antiguans and being young, they might have mistaken some of those ALP names on the Justice List... and thought they were UPP people!

I guess that If I were in a far away place, far from home, and I got some cute minister to arrange my citizenship and give me a passport, or a fat jolly minister to bring gifts, then I might feel obligated to them. I might even believe what they spout... I might even find my mouth dancing to their beat.....you know like a puppet....

But these are supposedly bright young people... so they should know better... they have sophisticated skills of analysis and can make sound judgements... Unless what "Serpent" say is correct... whenever anyone aligns themself to the ALP, their brains turn to mush...!

Well my sister puts it another way, her theory is that whenever anyone speaks from the ALP patform, their thinking is confounded... She swears that it is divine intervention. Listen to Lester talk about "tribes" and "crapeau smoke our pipe" and you realize that she is right!

Their brains turn to mush... or their thinking is confounded... I dont know which is correct. All I know is that it is sad... that these young non-nationals are suffering from the same disease that has 'besot' all those other ALP people.

What Poll?

2009-03-05T15:56:00.003-05:00

This is the Ultimate “Push Poll”

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

We recently heard that a “new” poll “just released” indicated that the ALP would win the upcoming general elections by 14 – 3!

Even before the numbers were released many people – from those with varying levels of knowledge of surveys and statistics to common, everyday folks who didn’t even reach Senior 3, were scratching their heads over the ‘new’ poll and the pollsters who were footing it around various communities.

One of my family members noticed two young girls walking hesitantly down the street and timidly and nervously glancing at her as she tended to her garden. Being curious, she asked them if she could help them. They hemmed and hawed, each one waiting for the other one to say something. Finally, one of them pushed a form in my family member’s hand and said that they were conducting a poll.

Wanting to be helpful, she filled out the information. As she was completing the form, it dawned on her that she had not asked who was conducting the poll and who they represented. They responded that they were conducting the poll for “Some people from America who represented Obama… or who had worked with Obama..l or some lame response like that. ”

Of course all kinds of “red” flags went up in her head! But… she completed the survey and they quickly hustled away.

Since I heard that I began to ask my friends around Antigua about their experiences. I found out that some of these juveniles who were giving out the questionnaires were approaching only those people who they knew and many of them… maybe most of them… were approaching people who they knew belong to a particular party! Why? Well… maybe they got instructions to do so… or maybe those were the people with whom they were most comfortable… since they all belonged to the same party!

In some instances, I am told that some of these young people would avoid and bypass the houses to the front… those to the street-side... and go down the alley to the houses in the back where the people with whom they are familiar live.

So questions about the sampling methods will abound. The reasons for those doubts are not driven by what the pollsters say… and not even by the so-called results. They are driven by what people in the community have seen. They are driven by the behaviors of those young people who were doing the polling.

But one does have to question the “poll” itself. I have not seen the questionnaire so I cannot question the relevance of the questions asked or analyze the format of the questionnaire.

For a long time, however, I have felt that some of the pollsters who conduct public opinion polls in Antigua, fail to release the full information about their sampling and polling methods at the same time that they release the results. It is as if they do not want their methods to be under scrutiny.

The results of all such surveys should be posted online along with copies of the questionnaire and a full description of both the sampling and polling methods and the methods of analysis.

There should be full disclosure about who conducted the surveys, who paid for the whole exercise, where and when the surveys were conducted and what the limitations to the exercise were. How many people took part in the poll and can they prove it by showing us the surveys? Any reputable pollster would keep the documents on which their results… and their reputation… stand. At least they would keep them until after the election for which they are ‘predicting’ the results…. Or is it ‘pushing’ the results?

You cannot just tell me that ALP is going to win 14 of the seats and expect me to buy that… particularly when every other poll indicates evidence to the opposite.

A poll released one week before the election? That sounds and looks and feels and smells like a push poll to me.

What is a push poll? Wikipedia says that it is a “political campaign technique in which an organization attempts to influence or alter the view of respondents under the guise of conducting a poll.” It continues that in a push poll “large numbers of respondents are contacted, and little or no effort is made to collect or analyze the response data.”

In the current case, I don't even think that large numbers of people were contacted. And, we don’t know if the organization that supposedly carried out this poll is a reputable research firm. What is their track record? Who paid them?

What we do know is that the timing raises questions, the methodology dumbfounds our understanding, and the results… well… simply put… they are not believable.

It is a push poll in the sense… that they are trying to “push” the notion into our heads… that they can win… that they are going to win… that they have more than a chance…!

Again according to Wikipedia… “It is a form of… propaganda and rumour mongering, masquerading as a poll.”

Lets push this gross attempt at rumour mongering out of the way. Pay it no more attention. Period!

At What Price?

2009-03-05T13:37:00.003-05:00

Have You Been Besotted with Bribes?

Marcus M. Mottley

There is a lot of talk about money being passed around in the cover of darkness… in a dark alley… or in the back of a luxury car… money that is being passed around to buy votes and purchase many other sinister things.

But this information is always shared with a hush...a whisper… driven by the fear that someone close by will hear… or will find out! Information about friends, confidants… and others taking bribes - hush hush and under cover!

The funny thing is that when you hear who is being offered and who decides to take the money, you have to really believe the old saying that “everyone has their price”. And the price, even if it might be costly, does not seem to be a problem since the jolly giver who besots people with these bribes seems to have a deep pocket.

I hear stories of truck loads of things… being doled out…going to people all over the place… particularly in Antigua’s former second town and the people up there near the stadium who are backing in their pick-up trucks when the big red trailer truck rolls up.

I hear that people get fridge, stove, laptop and desktop computers, microwaves, kitchen sets, pots, bathroom sets, comforters and very expensive electronic toys like iPods. And what you don’t see – just ask… you know whatever you want you will get… or at least will be promised to receive.... after elections of course.

I know I said “I hear" and "have heard” and so some of you might say that is hearsay… And yes... I haven’t received any bribes… (too far away)… and no one in my family has. But… actually... it is much more than hearsay! A good friend of my family from the same constituency said… rather boasted that she had received some of these things. And the friend would not make up a story like this on her good friend the ‘jolly giver of the goods’ the one who besots those bribes on both needy and greedy people.

I hear that both needy and greedy people received dollar bills that tumble from those “red shirts that cares!” Wow....you get a shirt and when you open it, money just fall out… like ‘widi widi manna from… well… from the jolly red shirt giver.

I hear that greedy and needy people are flocking to the jolly giver to get the shirt that cares, because they know that the money will be there. Some of the greedy people even boast that it is the easiest $500.00 they have ever received. After all, the needy ones could use the money, nails to do, hair to do, beer to buy...maybe even they can put it with what they already get from elsewhere to make up child support, pay mortgage, pay the Syrian or Lebanese where they got their TV or living room set or bookshelf...

I heard a story of a boy who got $1700.00, in twenty dollar bills.....the people who counted the bills, just kept counting and counting and counting,..they thought they would never stop. Of course it was from the jolly sized giver who besotted the money on them.

I hear of people who say that the jolly sized giver told them to go by the store for what ever they wanted… I won’t publicize the name of the store…. but it’s the one that always light up for Xmas.

There are also those people who are getting checks – made out in their name and signed by the same jolly giver… And those people who get checks… they are not just asked to vote… Nope. They have some really really serious underhanded things to do for that bribe involving immigration and people coming in from Guyana and Jamaica and who knows where else.

People are being bribed to vote… They are being bribed to keep their mouths shut. They are being bribed to look the other way. They are being bribed to bribe their friends. They are even being bribed to bribe their family members.

And plenty of them…. too many of them are taking the money. People who you would have said are good, solid, God-fearing citizens… are taking the bribes… the hush money…and in return... who knows what evil and illegal deeds they are doing in return?

The takers take in silence… in the dark… in the back of parked luxury cars and SUVs and sometimes – right in their own homes!

No one sees, no one hears.... No one?

As I think of this is I am reminded of a case of thievery. The people of a local community had to constantly replace the plants that they had planted in their efforts to beautify their area.

People just kept taking the plants up and walking off with them…. pots and all…. Yes… ‘tiefing’ them!

Then someone got a very bright idea. Sothey placed a sign in the garden… with the inscription… “God is Watching” and next to those words they drew the picture of an eye… supposedly God’s eye.

The stealing stopped!

So perhaps someone can some up with a way to have everyone in that constituency… the one near the stadium… be reminded that “God is watching”. Maybe we can put up a sign right by that corner with an eye (and an ear too!) so that the “god-fearing” people of that constituency… and others can be reminded that they may be held accountable.

Now, I know... and you know that no sign… however creative.. is going to stop that jolly giver with the red shirt that cares from besotting people with his reportedly fraudulently gained money! He has too much to lose! He will give away all that he has… all… in order to avoid Justice Day. But, Mr. jolly giver in the red shirt…. that day is coming… your money won’t help you…

And it is not only the people in that constituency who he besots. His tentacles are in other constituencies… all over Antigua.

So that sweet and jolly giver… with the red shirt that cares… and who has that store that he ‘pretties up’ each Xmas… is out and about… giving. And people are taking and taking and taking.

He is headed your way. Will you turn him away from his demeaning insults? From his debasing of your ethics? From his undermining of your integrity? Will you do the right thing and let the sweet and jolly giver know that your vote cannot be bought… that you cannot be bought… that your silence cannot be bought…

Are you like so many people who have already shown… so many people have already taken… so many people are already guilty…. Are you one of those who ask for the price and when it is right allow yourself to take the money without being besotted by guilt?

If the answer is yes… that you have taken money… you should be besotted with more than guilt!

If your answer is no… you have taken no money… you will take no money… no matter who tries to buy your vote… Your answer will be no… Good! You are doing the right thing. You are helping to make this election a fair one.

Let those who besot their briberies on you know that you will not be besotted! The price for bribery is never right!

Defend the Nation: Take Back Our Island!

2009-03-04T10:29:00.005-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I watched... albeit from afar... last night's UPP launch of its Manifesto: Defending the Nation. I like it. The UPP states that in 2004 the goal was to rescue the nation from the hands of the Bird dynasty. The party contends that they have accomplished that. Now they want to ensure that they defend the nation from going back into the clutches of the same dynasty that failed the nation year after year... for over 28 years.

I like what the manifesto says. It contends that they rescued the country from "a collapsing economy, ostracism by international agencies, stagnant tourism, and deeply disaffected youth." They rescued the country from mismanagement, corruption and incompetent leadership. they ensured that from the time the Baldwin Spencer Administration took the reins of government, civil servants received their salaries! And very importantly, they rescued the country from those who were giving away our country piece by piece, acre by acre, island by island to that nefarious pirate of the Caribbean.

So... yes... the UPP has conducted a rescue mission and they need to defend the gains we have made as a nation since we uplifted them to high office.

However, there is at least one more act of rescue that has to be undertaken: We need to take back Guiana Island and rescue it from the clutches of that pirate of the Caribbean... the buccaneering knight whose name is all over the world's media - and whose name has been linked to suspicions of fraud and financial malfeasance.

This is the same pirate that I have been writing about for five lonely years.

Can you imagine that he went behind our backs and bought the same island that we refused to sell him and/or refused to allow him to negotiate a deal with Dato Tan over. He went behind our backs... undercover... underhanded... in the dark of night... sneaking... like the pirate he is... and purchased the island anyway.

Not only did he purchase it. He purchased the majority of the shares of the company that owned it. As a matter of fact... we are not even sure of the facts... whether he purchased the company or purchased the island or purhcased the company and the island... or well... you got the picture. But whatever he did, he made sure that he has control over the island.

He pirated our island away from us in the dark... out of sight... hidden from the public... He did this knowing - fully aware - that we did not want him to have it. Knowing fully well... that we wanted it back from the clutches of Dato Tan.

The man who my country saw fit to elevate to knighthood... in the dark of night... saw fit to usurp our property... my property...

Now, I have been saying that he went behind our backs... You know, on reflection, I am not so sure that he went behind all of our backs! Did those money grabbing, red shirted politicians on the other side know that he had control, was going to get control, or advised him how to get control of the island? Did they know??? Did his legal team know? I am talking about the legal team that is owned by a current member of parliament on this side? These are only questions!

Who knew?

The fact that Antigua's off-shore pirate had possession and/or control of one of Antigua's most pristine off-shore islands... must have been known to some of his close on-shore confidants! This I believe! Who? I don't know... not yet!

By the way... we should have known something was up a couple of years ago when he was trying to get that island. He slinked away from that fight too easily. I know... and you know that all pirates love off-shore islands... Tortuga, Treasure Island, etc. And this pirate... who was himself from off-shore, and who was involved in off-shore shenanigans... would definitely have liked his own off-shore island... to hide his treasure, hide his nefarious activities, covertly slip in and slink out... staying away from prying eyes! I should have known... we should have known that he would not take "no" for an answer from our Government... that he would find ways to circum-navigate us.

But what goes around... comes around...

Now we must truly defend our nation: We must take our island back. We cannot allow the SEC to get their hands on our property. That may be a worse nightmare. We will have to fight that is clear... because the US receiver is probably going to try to claim all that the pirate grabbed and was allowed to grab. But for that fight... let us now put ourselves in a position of strength.

There is a saying that possession is 90% of the law... well. Let's make it 100% of our law!

Take back our island. Now!

"Together We Must"

2009-03-01T11:05:00.015-05:00

“Together We Must” is the Women’s Manifesto for Antigua and Barbuda.

“Women’s empowerment and their full participation …. including participation in the decision-making process and access to power are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace.” Beijing Platform For Action.

The aim of "Together We Must" is to bring together the various demands made by women in Antigua and Barbuda, and ensure they are integrated in the agendas of political parties for the general elections 2009. We are demanding for women’s priorities to be made national priorities in post election governance charters and all subsequent decisions made by the State.

For many years we have struggled for inclusion in national development and for recognition of our rights. This Manifesto builds upon the experiences of other countries in the Caribbean that have embarked upon similar processes. Efforts of our sisters in Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago, combined with our own efforts highlight the need to ensure that this Manifesto is one of several interconnected efforts.

It is owned by a broad constituency of women. It is non-partisan. It calls for the right to full social, economic and cultural equality. It recognizes the vital need for the equal participation of women in politics and in the decision-making process.

Our Pledge

We, the women of Antigua and Barbuda from various organizations, of diverse backgrounds, religions, occupations, and ages;

Cognizant that women constitute the majority of registered voters and form the majority of members of political parties;
Concerned that women must have the right to participate equally in all aspects of political, social and economic life;
Calling for equal involvement in the planning and decision-making that affects our lives; and,
Convinced that this Manifesto provides a common platform for action necessary for effective advocacy for gender equality and national development, therefore rededicate ourselves to the struggle for a just, independent, democratic, peaceful and gender equitable society, and hereby present this Manifesto, “Together We Must” as an affirmation of our commitment to collective action, and as an agenda of minimum demands for action on gender equality and equity in our twin island state.

We, the women of Antigua and Barbuda demand action, and call on all political parties to support our demands for:

Official recognition of the economic value of women’s work in the home to society;
Equal representation in decision making;
Equal access to services;
Freedom from violence;
Economic independence for all women;
Improved health and educational services; and,
Protection and respect of women’s human rights irrespective of our political affiliation, class, race, or status.

How will a Manifesto of the people influence the political agenda?

This Manifesto is a direct result of deep seated concerns about the insufficient attention given to critical issues affecting women; to the under-representation of women in politics and decision-making levels; and to the status of women in public life in Antigua and Barbuda.

This manifesto not only draws attention to the needs and concerns of women, but attempts to chart the way forward to address women’s issues.

This Manifesto provides a platform of a common set of demands for the achievement of gender equality and equity and sustainable national development. It creates the space to articulate our concerns in the 2009 Elections and beyond.

Finally, it ensures political parties’ accountability as they would ultimately be assessed by women on the basis of their stance in relation to issues that concern women as outlined in this Women's Manifesto.

“Together We Must” lays out the rationale for a transparent agenda for women’s rights and gender equality in Antigua and Barbuda. It provides a framework of promising government and civil society initiatives and institutional reforms that improve accountability to women.

The key issues addressed in “Together We Must” are:

Health Education Violence against Women
Economic and Social Justice for Women
Women in Politics and Decision-Making
Human Rights and Legislative Justice.

Women and Health

Health care is a right, not a privilege.

All women have an equal right to healthcare and a right to healthy living. The delivery of public services is the most direct measure of government accountability to women. Failing services can undermine women's ability to realize these basic rights. Careers must also be recognized for the work they do. Their work saves the State incalculable amounts of money.

Therefore, We as Women advocate, recommend and demand:

The revision of existing laws, policy and procedures to reflect a commitment to women’s health, and to ensure that the realities of women in Antigua and Barbuda are reflected in the revision exercise.
Strengthening of the health care services and the expansion of the services of Medical Benefits to ensure universal access to quality health services for women and girls.
Increased support and access to services for women in their role as care providers whether of persons living with HIV/AIDS or of families affected by the disease or disability.
Support for the development of a national plan for women’s health with specific targets, time frames and resource allocations. Such plan would be guided by on-going data collection for critical analysis in the area of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Education and Women

Education remains a key component to achieving upward social mobility. Education can tackle poverty, promote choice and fulfill human potential. As such, equality of access to education and vocational training is another precondition to women’s full participation in society and successful integration into the labour market as equals.

All women have a right to education and to the removal of any remaining barriers to the career path of their choice. We as women demand:

Education, training and the implementation of retraining programmes for women, especially young women and women entering the labour market, to develop skills to meet the needs of a changing socio-economic context for improving employment opportunities.
A human rights-based approach to address teenage parenting, which emphasises prevention and reproduction health education, and full access to continued, non-discriminatory education, training opportunities and support services.

Violence against Women

Violence against women is the most serious consequence of women’s unequal status. It is also probably the most pervasive crime in our society and as such deserves a significantly greater focus within public policy on justice and security.

We need to recognize that violence against women can and does happen in the family, the community, and in the workplace. It is never acceptable. It is incumbent upon us to support educational and awareness programmes and other effective measures that will ultimately instigate a change in attitudes and behaviours in our society.

We therefore demand:

The strengthening and enactment of laws on sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual violence and domestic violence that would provide greater protection for women and girls;
The review, strengthening and enforcement of child protection policies and services in homes, schools and communities, with particular attention to sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Judicial processes should be strengthened to protect the rights of children;
Tougher sentences for perpetrators of sexual offenses against boys and girls;
Increased and secure multi-annual funding for local crisis and support services and centres for women and children who are victims of such violence.

Economic and Social Justice for Women

Women disproportionately suffer from economic downturns and social unrest. In the face of a global economic crisis, we require the adequate support and access to resources and opportunities to avoid setbacks and help build the human capital of the next generation.

When women are economically empowered, it benefits families, communities and national development. When economic and social gender equality is made a priority, the social attitudes and stereotypes that constrain women are systematically denounced in homes, classrooms, workplaces, and on city streets.

We therefore demand:

Official recognition of women’s unpaid labour activities as contributions to generating wealth in the national economy and enhancing society’s welfare, by providing all state social benefits and allowances;
The review and modernization of social protection/welfare systems to meets the realities of today’s economic and social challenges, especially periodic unemployment;
The prevention of gender economic discrimination in the workplace by ensuring equal pay for equal work;
Mandatory representation of women and women’s groups in all decision-making processes, including negotiating processes on socio-economic, and political issues.
The provision of reliable and adequate social support to low income and unemployed single women households;
The provision of quality, public childcare to all those who need it;
Revision in labour laws to mandate provisions that support women in their care giving roles including; flexible working hours, the provision of day care facilities and related services, and subsidised family health care plans;
The institutionalization of systems to formalize working agreements for domestic workers and other common informal occupations, to ensure suitable working conditions and fair pay;
The provision of training and education in employment fields with high earning potential that are traditionally male dominated. Training must be made available above basic skill level to close gender gaps in earnings and reduce occupational segregation, as well as women’s reliance on informal employment to supplement their income;
All marginalized women are given equal access to participate all social, economic and political areas through improved infrastructural and resource development;
The strengthening of the capacity of the Directorate of Gender Affairs to adequately meet the needs of women and families in Antigua and Barbuda.

Women in Politics, Decision-Making and Public Life

If we do not participate in political decision making, we cannot ensure that our needs and interest are adequately addressed. As women, we constitute more than half of the population and more than half of the registered voters.

Therefore we demand:

A minimum of 40% female candidacy nomination in all party races at all levels. This advances a better representation of women in proportion to our representation in the population, as part of our international obligations and commitments as articulated in the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Affirmative action implemented in all key decision making area such as Boards, Commissions and appointed positions, to ensure a minimum 40% female representation.
The prerequisite of a gender analysis and gender impact survey to all national and international policies and agreements

Human Rights and Legislative Justice

Guarding women’s human rights means ensuring that women live lives free of violence, sexual exploitation, social indignity, and all other forms of discrimination that impede upon their equal participation in economic, social and political life.

Despite various instruments against it, discrimination against women continues to exist. Protecting and affirming these rights propels growth of the prosperity of society and the family, and ensures the full development of the potentialities of women in the service of their country and of humanity.

We demand:

Equal opportunity legislation that includes, as grounds for discrimination: (I) barriers faced by teen mothers when attempting to reintegrate themselves into the school system and access the work force (II) unequal treatment of those who are physically and mentally challenged (III) the elderly and those affected by HIV.
Equal opportunity legislation that ensures equal pay for equal work;
Legislation to protect women in the workplace against sexual harassment;
Access and opportunities for persons with disabilities to all private, public businesses, commercial buildings and spaces;
The full establishment and implementation of a Family Court

The Making of “Together We Must”

In December 2008, a consultation workshop was organized by the Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership (CIWIL) and sponsored by the Organisation for American States (OAS). Participants were drawn from women’s groups, NGOs and other civil society organisations from across the country to share their ideas and views on critical issues of concern to women in the country.

It was agreed that women would work collaboratively to promote the acceptance and use of this Manifesto by everyone including the government, the private sector political parties and civil society organizations.

This is a statement of national objectives based on the ground realities and aspirations of women living across this country and an assertion that in our little paradise, it is not merely our votes but also our voices that need to be heard. It is a blueprint for the future of Antigua and Barbuda – made by women of Antigua and Barbuda.

Together We Must is endorsed by the following organizations:

The AIDS Secretariat
The Antigua and Barbuda Disability Association
The Antigua Labour Party Women’s Group
Antigua Planned Parenthood Association
The Child and Family Guidance Centre
Citizens Welfare Division
Community Development Division
The Directorate of Gender Affairs
GDWG
Gray’s Green Women’s Development Group
Health Hope HIV Network (HHH)
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
Liberta Village Community Group
The Ministry of Agriculture
The Ministry of Labour, Public Administration and Empowerment
The Ministry of Health, Medical Division
Piggott Women’s Group
Professional Organisation for Women in Antigua & Barbuda (POWA)
Prophetic Ministries International
The Substance Abuse and Prevention Division
The United Progressive Party Women’s Group
Women Against Rape (WAR)
Women of Antigua
The Youth Department, Ministry of Youth & Sports

This is a project of CIWiL sponsored by:

The Organization of American States (OAS) with the technical support of The Directorate of Gender Affairs, Redcliffe St., St. John’s, Antigua 268.462.3990 or 268.462.9664

The Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership (CIWiL) is a regional network of women promoting the participation of women in politics, leadership and decision-making.
Marcus M. Mottley

This Blog... "Voices of Antigua and Barbuda" fully supports "Together We Must" and the mandates, demands and the philosophy that it espouses! We must encourage all voices to have their say!

To read or download a copy of "Together We Must"... go to: www.SpeakTrain.com/Together

Marcus M. Mottley
March 1st, 2009

A “Red Letter Day”

2009-02-27T20:56:00.001-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley

Today, February 27th, 2009 is a “red letter day” in the annals of the history of Antigua and Barbuda. On this day, the Government, under the leadership of Baldwin Spencer, made a courageous decision. It decided to take back what was pirated from us!

Now… to be fair to the pirate (not that I want to or feel any obligation to be fair to him) he had plenty of help in his piracy. Some may say that his piratical acts had some kind of legal standing. But I say, legal or not… the pirating of Antiguan lands was not right… is not right… and it does not matter what kind of legal papers he and his ‘red mates’ buccaneered.

Yesterday was also a “Red Letter Day” – a scarlet day really - because of the sorry display of concern showed by the pirate’s mates. They showed their true colors! One after the other they stood up and disgraced themselves in their unflinching support for the disgraced pirate of the West Indies. But, I guess they should support him fully since one or two of them, even though their checks are reportedly bouncing… have properties and land holdings that came straight out of monies from the pirates ill-gotten ‘pieces of eight’ (pirate coins).

For them, it was a “Red Letter Day” and scarlet day of disgrace!

In listening to them, it sounded as if he was whispering in their ears. They could not have represented him any better. I listened as the cute one warned that the government should wait. A reasonable warning if one is myopic. But myopic he is not… so there must be another more invisible reason… Remember the source of this caution… certainly not from someone who has proven to be cautious in the past…. passports, labour permits… etc.

I listened as one UPP Minister described the potential disaster that faces us if the SEC’s receiver gets jurisdiction of the lands around our airports.

I listened yesterday as another UPP Minister… one who used to benefit from courting the pirate, described the litany of reasons why the Government needed to take quick and decisive actions. This minister, the one who used to court the pirate, did a good job in outlining the facts… Now I suggest to him that his company divests itself fully from the pirate rather than giving paid for support on one hand and pretending to ‘officially’ criticize on another. But that is another matter for another day. Forgive me, I digress.

I listened as the Prime Minister detailed the many concerns that the Government had for the people of Antigua and Barbuda, for the workers at the pirates companies, and for the many persons who were owed monies by the pirate!

It is interesting to note that many of those persons who worked for the pirate and those companies and small business whom he contracted are members and supporters of the red army! Now here it is that the very Government that they sought to displace… the very party that many of them have railed and actively campaigned against in recent weeks… that very party is trying to save their red hides… and necks!

But… they are Antiguans and Barbudans… well… some of them… And, we must look out for them…

So for them, this is a “Red Letter Day” too. They will be able to keep their jobs and run their business… and reconsider who they should vote for!

Today is a “Red Letter Day” of disgrace for those leaders on the red side. They want us to wait to see if there is more evidence of piratical wrong doing and we should wait to see if the SEC was going to bring charges against the pirate!

Do they not read? Do they not notice the long list of horrendous illegal shenanigans that had been perpetrated on people all over the world by this global pirate who resided in Antigua… A pirate who they helped nurture when he was just learning his piratical trade? Are they not ashamed of the role that they and their red group played in helping him to build his piratical, illegal empire?

They want us to wait? Well… the U.S. Government is not waiting! The pirate’s hench-woman was arrested yesterday and today she is facing serious charges. I think the prosecution asked for US$1 Million in bail but it was set at US$300,000. Guess who is next!

So, the Government has taken its courageous stance while the pirate’s red chums have demonstrated not caution but cowardice.

But their cowardice is understood… They are hoping that the pirate is exonerated… or better yet… not even charged! They are hoping that neither they nor their surrogates’ names are documented in any of the many documents that have been and are being seized. They are hoping that they will still get the $15 Million dollars that he promised them. They are hoping that they will not have to give back any of the ‘pieces of eight’ that they might have received…

They are hoping that this whole thing will go away before March 12th.

The Government today put Antigua in a position where we now own what we should not have given away. No… we are not in the clear… There probably are a lot of legal battles ahead of us.

But, today, we are in a stronger position than we were in yesterday… we can now fight from a position of strength.

Today, we are in a better position than we were five years ago when the red army was giving our lands away willy nilly as their primary… one and only… investment and development strategy.

On March 12th Antiguans and Barbudans will ensure that the people responsible for nurturing and harboring the Caribbean’s worst pirate ever… will suffer his fate. Only two weeks ago, they were tying their political fortunes and the future of Antigua and Barbuda to the future and fortunes of their buccaneering champion. On March 12th they will collectively suffer his scarlet fate.

The Crime Wave Will Stop!

2009-02-23T13:49:00.002-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I am guessing that the current crime wave that Antigua is experiencing will stop after March 12th. As a matter of fact, I am willing to bet on it.

Why?

Because I believe that the current crime wave is driven by… if not coordinated by… elements in our society that would like to see a change in the government.

The crime wave will stop… but not because of any change in government!

As I listen to and watch the behavior of some of the supporters on the other side, I notice that they are angry, bitter, aggressive and appear to be on the edge of violence.

On one occasion, several young men were driving around in a truck pinning those red plastic sheets to posts and trees and anything else that they could attach them to.

They clipped their red plastic sheet to a tree that was on private property. When the owner protested, those young men became very loud, boisterous, threatening, and appeared to be on the edge of violence.

Now, that may seem to some to be a far leap from criminal behavior. But, what if the owner had confronted them? What would have happened? The owner later took down the red sheets… and that precipitated more threats… they returned and put the sheets up again… at which time the owner called the police!

But those behaviors – violent rhetoric and threatening actions, indecent language, shouting and frothing at the mouth, waving various implements that could easily be used as weapons – Those behaviors – indicate more than an undercurrent of violence. They indicate a desperation… a willingness to go beyond the accepted and normal rhetoric that accompanies political competitions. Or should I say… that used to accompany political contests.

Not any longer.

These days… the opposing side seems to understand that this is the last chance for some of their champions… who may very well spend some future time at 1735!

Indeed, if we listen to the threats… public threats… purportedly of one senior candidate… reportedly a member of parliament… “Blood will flow!”

If he could make that threat in public… can you imagine what he is saying in private? Can you imagine what he might be telling those young men who he pays to pin up those sheets of plastic? Can you imagine what other behaviors – public, private and clandestine – he might be actively planning and be involved in?

I remain unconvinced that the people who started the ‘red shirt’ gangs several years ago, are not not behind the perpetration of violence on the people of Antigua in order to make a point regarding the level of crime at this time.

And if they are not directly responsible, they are implicated because of their irresponsible rhetoric that would lead their supporters to think that they condone these acts.

As a matter of fact, I don’t hear a single voice from that side asking anyone to stop the violence. I don’t hear them joining with people of good will in protesting the recent crime wave and committing to helping to bring the perpetrators to justice.

On second thought, why should they? Some of them will themselves be brought to justice – soon!

Justice day is coming – both for the perpetrators of the crime wave, those who are behind it, and for the perpetrators of corruption, money laundering, fraud, theft, drug running, and the use of their political influence for personal gain!

On March 12th, let us send a loud and stirring message that the angry red wave of crime must stop to be replaced by a blue and peaceful wave of peace and social responsibility!

Another Reason To Vote UPP!

2009-02-22T13:49:00.001-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

The ongoing debacle related to the real-life Pirate of the Caribbean demonstrates how important it is for politicians to show wisdom in selecting and giving the green light to investors. The debacle gives every voter in Antigua and Barbuda a clear and precise reason why they should choose the UPP on March 12th.

As I looked on over the years, it was clear to me that there was every reason to turn on the red light when it came to this Pirate. It was not only clear to me, I was willing to write about it every chance I got. When you search this Blog site for the many references to the word “Pirate” you will see what I mean.

But, those who were in a position to turn on the red light… failed to do so… Instead they gave him the green light in return for his gold… Ill-gotten gold as it turns out!

On this site, I have also spotlighted the many reasons why we should not have been dealing with him. Why could they not see?

And then there were the many ordinary Antiguans who, for a few pieces of silver, were willing to turn a blind eye and, in some cases, willing to sell their hard earned reputations! Now their names are sullied! Many are still respected for their great deeds prior to their association with the Pirate, but this added chapter in their biography is one they could have done without!

And they are not alone, as other greats from around the region and the world were sucked up in the Pirate’s gloss… a gloss which is at least now severely tarnished!

The UPP and its leadership seemed to have tried to work things out with the Pirate. But… as we know him… it was his way… or the highway. The highway of course being the way of highway bandits… as he was…. and has proven to be.

When Baldwin Spencer finally decided that enough was enough, the Pirate had already turned to the other side promising them millions of dollars to ensure their win.

Now, I am not certain that this was courage on the part of the UPP leadership, or that there were too many irreconcilable differences between them and the Pirate.

Whatever the case, there was a severing and a rending of the relationship – at least a ripping apart and from the Chief Servant and his closest allies within the Party. In this, Mr. Spencer showed leadership. He showed what I have always known of him… that he is an upstanding individual and a man of the people. Torn he might have been because of the possibilities of what the Pirates dollars could do to transform Rural West… but firm he remained on the principle issue: Antigua was not for sale.

It is sad that the leaders of the red tide never had that sentiment… for them… Antigua was for sale to the highest bidder. This sentiment they proved year after year… Robert Vescoe, Dato Tan, The South African Arms Deal, The Airport Scam… and many more… And these are the ones we know about!

Additionally, the Pirate has admitted that he gave several of their ministers in excess of US$100,000 prior to the last election to “help the Antiguan people”. The Antiguan people never saw any of that money. It went into the Swiss, US, Bahamaian, Bermudian, and Asian bank accounts of the corrupt lot of them. And if the Pirate admitted to give them that amount… you can imagine what he gave them that we won’t mention. Some of them took that money to build tens of houses which they now rent. These are men who did not have a red cent to begin with. Now they are well heeled and strut about as they money class… with moneys from the Pirate’s ill gotten treasure propping them up.

These people are the alternatives to the UPP. They gave away Antigua to the Pirate for pennies on the dollar and stuffed their own pockets in return. Now they want us to return them to power!

If Antiguans wanted another reason to re-elect UPP… this financial debacle – a debacle of global proportions – a debacle which has brought disgrace to Antigua and further sullied our name… this debacle – is just another reason to uplift the UPP on March 12.

The choice is clear… vote UPP on March 12!

Something Is Wrong!

2009-02-19T07:45:00.000-05:00

Where Were Our Financial Regulators?

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

The history of the Caribbean is filled with colorful characters most of whom were born elsewhere. Some of the most colorful of these were the pirates and privateers who raided, raped and plundered their way to vast amounts of treasures. Some of them were even knighted for their plundering. These included men like Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Christopher Myngs and Sir Henry Morgan (The Pirate). The one thing common to all of them is that they can be described as infamous!

Curiously, one should ask why these men of infamy were knighted. The answer of course is that they gave fabulous amounts of monies to the "Crown" and to the political elite of the day... and were rewarded for their largess.

These days we have modern day pirates. Yes, some attack ships off the coasts of Africa, while others ply their trade in other parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They too contribute to the political elite of their era in order to have a license to continue their plundering.

And there are other modern day pirates. These include people like Bernard Madoff who was recently arrested for perpetrating over US$50 Billion fraud on his investors. Remember Kenneth Lay of Enron and Dennis Leo Kozlowski of Tyco who were both charged with massive fraud and corruption as CEOs of their companies. Their names will also go down in infamy! They too contributed handsomely to the coffers of the political elite... who turned a blind eye to their marauding and plundering of investors and shareholders!

Antigua has its own modern day 'knighted' pirate of whom I have been writing for over five years! He is a pirate that many embraced. Let's not forget that both administrations - the former and the current - embraced him. Yeah, yeah, yeah... the current administration had an on off relationship with him. The former administration... well... they wrapped their arms around him - then and now! He too contributed handsomely to the pockets - if not to the party - of the political elite here in Antigua! Did he contribute to others too... so that he could continue to maraud and plunder - metaphorically speaking of course?

But, as we have seen in the foregoing... pirates names go down in infamy. And so will the name of our current, modern-day knighted pirate of the West Indies.

Of course the problem for us is that Antigua's name is also now associated with this now infamous privateer... with his private company charged with privately misleading the people who succumbed to his piratical ventures. We made him a "Sir". We gave him additional legitimacy! We helped him to legitimatize some of his reportedly ill-gotten gains by giving him good land for bad money.

And why did we not do our due diligence? I know that people don't want to ask and answer those questions. One person told me that it was now "Water under the bridge". Well... it is water that will be recycled if we are not careful. He is not the first pirate and privateer who has come to Antigua's shores and was embraced by the politically naive and the politically corrupt. He will not be the last.

But when the next one shows up... we must do out due diligence and continue to investigate and ask questions all the time... for as long as it takes. Where is the treasure coming from? Is it clean? Why is this pirate paying triple the wages of everyone else? Why is this privateer willing to pay premium dollars - extremely premium dollars... for lands and other property? Something was wrong. No one asked questions. No politician asked questions (they were busy with outstretched hands - willing to give him anything he wants... public promising to give him anything he wanted when and if they were elected - having given him everything he wanted the last time that they were there!)

Something was wrong!

As it turns out even the financial regulators... the regional financial vault keepers - turned the other way... turned a blind eye! How come? Did he touch them too?

Something was wrong! As a matter of fact as it turns out... Something is wrong! But it took American regulators and investigators to find that out!

Something is still wrong! Why didn't out financial regulators sound the alarm when ordinary people like myself and "the analyst" who called in almost everyday to a local radio station kept sounding the alarm.

I think we need to look at our own financial regulators... Something is wrong there too! At the very least they are asleep at the wheel...

At the very least!

A Sticky Situation

2009-02-18T07:47:00.002-05:00

Change Your Manifesto!

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

The world is reeling from the reported sinking of the ships belonging to the Pirate of the West Indies. From Houston to New York, Hong Kong to Bombay, Caracas to Christianstead - to Antigua... people are in shock!

I cannot for one minute understand why they are shocked! Over the years I have outlined and enumerated why I was concerned. Who takes $15 million and gives it to a campaign that is destined to lose anyway? Who takes another $1 million to purchase a piece of property that is worth $200,000 at best? Who sinks hundreds of millions of dollars in a high-flying business where everyone else in that business is losing money?

Those are like schemes where you give me a twenty dollar bill and ask me to give you a one dollar in return! Duh!

So now we are in a sticky situation!

The sports where he promised hundreds of millions on two sides of the Atlantic is reeling from the late breaking news. The chairman of the sporting body across the Atlantic is being asked to resign! No such request is being asked of the chairman of our regional sporting body... because... well... most people supported the Sir Pirate's initiative! Most people were glad to see the money being spent and flaunted. So now - all of those people are mum - with sticky mud on their faces.

A sticky situation indeed.

Yesterday... ordinary Antiguans made a dash on the Pirate's treasure chest... trying to get money. Of course... many of them did not succeed and many of them might not get their money...

And don't talk about the political party, whose candidates are seeking to be elected on a platform where they promised that they would give the Sir Pirate "everything he wanted." Of course this was in return for $15 million dollars - above the table... No telling how much was beneath and into their pockets! I heard someone say that their almost every page of their manifesto referred to the pirate and his money. He would do this and he was going to do that... and they would give him - well... anything he wanted. And now... He probably won't have a thing to give! Election day is March 12... a mere three weeks away... That party is going to have to change their manifesto!

Change the manifesto! As a matter of fact... change their leaders who would give Antigua and Barbuda away to the flim flam pirate! Their leaders did it before after having pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars in 'under-the-table' pay-offs!

A sticky situation - for everyone. But for that political party... it is not only sticky... its messy... it's a stinky situation!

What They Always Knew About the Pirate!

2009-02-17T12:21:00.006-05:00

But Was Afraid To Say... Out Loud!!!

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I don't know anyone in Antigua who has not been uncomfortable with the obscene flaunting of money around Antigua over the last ten years or so. I don't personally know anyone who was not suspicious that something was 'fishy' about all that money being thrown around 'willy nilly'!

In one of my last blogs I wrote about people being paid good salaries to do nothing... or next to nothing: A thousand dollar per week to trim hedges; $800 per week to water lawns and pluck weeds from the grass; Thousands of dollars per week to lay tile... and then the same persons are told to take up the same tiles three or four times in order to correct a minor - 1 centimeter wide flaw! Of course these tiles are the most expensive... Ceramic tiles made in Milan... Expensive... very expensive... Dig them up... the whole floor actually... and replace them to correct the error!

Other executive and professional types were hired, placed in air-conditioned offices... to do what? Again absolutely nothing! As a matter of fact, I understand that a former Government official, who had a highly visible Ministry job, said just before he went over to his new digs, "A fuh me time now... a fuh me time now!" Time for what... to make real money of course... said to be in excess of $15,000 per month... US dollars of course! And now... that same former, highly visible, very talkative official, now sits with downcast eyes, at his desk... with absolutely nothing to do... just like those guys watering the grass after it rains. Doing absolutely nothing and collecting a fat paycheck. Apparently he ran afoul of the Pirate of the West Indies for giving him bad advise about how to intervene in Rural West!

Major businesses were started that had absolutely no chance of making a profit. No chance. None. Zero. And when I say major businesses - I mean investments in the billions... sky high investments!!! And then those sky-high businesses were later sold for pennies on the dollar... after losing God alone knows how many millions of dollars.

Anyway... I digress... We always knew that something was afoul and now something is afoot. I don't know of any pirate that did not get his comeuppance. A rapier in the heart... a musket ball to the chest... a hangman's rope... But these are modern times. And just like modern pirates have evolved in their pirating ventures so have those who search for and eventually destroy them.

But we are ahead of ourselves... no such final drama has played out... yet! What is being played out on the world's front pages, online and offline, is the pubic scarring and tarnishing of the Pirate of the West Indies.

I hope that this is a lesson to all those who believe that we in Antigua.. the West Indies... the Caribbean... should seek and find, wine and dine the types of investors who are willing to flaunt their riches and give away money like water. Of course some of the those same people... particularly the politicians... were not averse to holding out their hands... above and beneath the table... to collect some of the crumbs that fell from the Pirate's mustache and from his table!

And, of course, not only were our politicians willing to line up to get some crumbs... but so were some of the West Indian most notable sporting figures. How can we forget the very recent gladiator like spectacle when a pirate's ransom was won by his mascots!

Again... I digress... I guess you heard the news... And in doing my research today I found out that the Pirate of the West Indies had problems with the US Drug Enforcement Agency in 1999 with pirated drug money which found its way into his treasure chest. He eventually had to pay millions of dollars to the US Government.

Let's be clear... no one is gloating. No one is glad at what has happened. Remember that a lot of ordinary and innocent folk has invested in many of the Sir Pirates vessels and others have put their money's in his treasure vaults for 'safe keeping'. In that they erred... How can you give your hard earned dollars to a pirate whose only goal is plunder for profit?

Let us hope that this big international situation does not seriously impact our small country.

Let us hope that our politicians on both sides learn that we should not try to attract shady investors like the Pirate. They did not do, have not done their due diligence... any land lubber could see that the pirate was after the lands that we love.

Let us hope that our leaders - on both sides - will no longer be blinded by shiny pieces of ill-gotten silver waved before our faces then snatched from sight!

I don't wish ill on anyone... And because life is precious... I hope that the Sir Pirate comes out of this fully alive... having not lost physically... and surviving with at least a patch over one eye and a wooden leg! The Antiguan parrot who he bought to labour at his side... should move to his sit on his shoulder!

Rally Round the ARG

2009-02-13T18:37:00.003-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

On this day, Black Friday 13th February, all Antiguans and Barbudans need to rally round the ARG!

Our cricket has been dealt a serious body blow. It was a self inflicted blow! (See the previous Blog).

The decision had been made to abandon the 2nd Test Match between England and the West Indies which was to have started today at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The match was started and our bowlers had serious problems with their run up. I understand that not only was the area of their run up sandy... but the whole field was almost like a beach! Sand everywhere... hidden by the grass!

Anyway, a decision has been made to play a test match which will start on Sunday instead. It will be played at the venerable Antigua Recreation Grounds.

I understand that there are thousands of English cricketing fans here in Antigua - most of them from England. They have invested in visiting our country in order to see this match. It is a good thing that a new match will be started! At least for their sake!

Now... we need to turn out in our numbers... not just to support the Windies... but to save face! We have an obligation to be there - in record numbers! We have an obligation to show up just like those thousands of English fans some of whom paid up to US$5000 just to come and support their team.

We are right here... let's get out and support cricket in Antigua... at the historic Antiguan Recreation Grounds!

Rally Round the ARG! On this valentine weekend, let's show some love for cricket!

What A Black Friday Disgrace!

2009-02-13T07:46:00.005-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Since the decision was made to build a new stadium, I have been complaining... sometimes bitterly... to my close friends.

Here we were building a US$60 Million dollar sporting facility. Not just a sporting facility... but a cricket stadium. Our first error was that we succumbed to the Chinese - who were funding the project - and allowed them to build it. The Chinese building a cricket stadium? Chinese? Why not a New Zealand, Australian, Indian, or British company? Why not a company which has a track record of building cricket stadium?

Anyway... the Chinese built the Sir Vivian Richards stadium. I am no architect or builder so I cannot and won't comment on the quality of the finished product. But, I can say it "looked good". And, I was proud to be there on the first day of cricket during the World Cup matches.

A US$60M project... Let me ask you the reader this. If you were building your dream property... let's say... a US$1M home. Who would you have doing the landscaping? Would you give the job to the guy who normally cuts the grass in your yard? Or would you call a trained, qualified professional to do the job? If you have a top of the line Mercedes - would you get the guy on the side of the road... who worked on your old Ford to tune up your new car! Hello... not even to change my tires!

In our US$60M project, I think that we gave the job of developing the grounds of this project to the equivalent of a weed-wacker, lawn-mower, cutlass carrying landscaping enterprise. Now don't get me wrong... this type of enterprise normally does a good job around your yard. They may even do an excellent job around the premises of a small hotel - after the initial work had been done by a professional.

And now we are paying the price for the poor - almost criminal - decision to give a big job... a critical task... to a seriously unqualified company. And this particular task was the most important one in the building of this facility. Unlike basketball, football, baseball and rugby, the quality of the cricket grounds and the batting pitch in particular is critical. There can be no error in the quality of the soil, the quality of the drainage system and the types of grass on the grounds.

Let me be clear that I am no expert. Not even close. But as a cricketing fan, I understand the importance of a test match being played on a quality field. I also understand that when a new field is being built from scratch... when the field does not have a history of cricket being played on it... that some sort of scientific analysis should be done regarding things like soil types, above ground flow of water, below ground drainage... and probably a ton of other things of which I would be unfamiliar. I would also think that the experts would need expensive scientific and computerized instruments to carry out these explorations and analyses.

As a matter of fact, one would have hoped that these things would have been done prior to the decision to build the stadium on this site. But... as I understand it, these analyses were not done before. I would have hope that they would have been done as the physical stadium was being built. As I understand it, the level of analysis that I would have been comfortable with was not done.

Our US60M investment was taken lightly. The project was rushed... and the proper prior work was not done. The proper work that should have accompanied the project was not done. And... quite apparently... the work is yet to be done.

Does the field need a modern subsurface chamber system which is used worldwide in baseball parks, soccer stadiums and cricket stadiums? Should the soil be changed to ensure that the water is able to drain in a more 'infiltrative' manner to ensure quick run-off when it rains?

We needed to have given this project to a company with a track record of building drainage systems and playing surfaces for big outdoor sport stadiums. We needed to have gotten the best that money could buy. The best that money could buy... not the cheapest that money could buy... not buy local... not buy political... not buy incompetence... not buy good intentions... not buy friends... not buy because they had a track record of hotel landscaping... not buy because they normally cut the grass on the other field... No!

Now... I understand that recently the job was given to a regional company for remedial work. Well... when I heard this, I said to myself... "There they go again!"

Why could we not get a "world class" company, with a "world class" record of this kind of work, so that they could do a "world class" job on our "World Class" US$60 Million Sir Vivian Richard Stadium?

No - we settled for regional standards... mediocre standards in my mind... paying mediocre money for less than mediocre results!

And so today... Friday, February 13th, Black Friday... we have eggs on our faces. This is embarrassing. We feel disgraced. I feel disgraced. I feel that we have been shortchanged. I have long felt that we were shortchanged.

Going forward we need to think bigger and demand better. We need to make the requisite decisions for the levels of the projects that we have envisioned. We need to set our standards higher. We need to demand world class standards for our world class projects.

13+ Reasons To Support ALP!

2009-02-12T07:34:00.008-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

In the interest of being 'fair and balanced', I think that I should present readers with reasons why they might consider voting for the ALP in the upcoming elections.

1. To protect former ALP ministers who are under a cloud of allegations from the possibility that they may go to jail!

2. To honour the memory of Papa Bird and continue his lineage though 'Baby' Bird!

3. To be like your great grandmother who would have voted for Papa Bird and also supported Moody Stuart!

4. To show gratitude for the thousands of low paying, no-skills-needed, non-productive, non-established jobs that ALP created.

5. To ensure that ALP will continue to bring in people from everywhere, give them passports, and make them immediate citizens... and to make sure that all those people who are here illegally can get immediate amnesty and also become citizens.

6. To ensure that politicians can make money from passport scams and other corrupt practices that were rampant over their 28 year reign. Some pennies might trickle down to you and you can use that to pay your electricity bills.

7. To continue and even refine Birdanomics: Don't develop or train your people; Keep them beholden to you for low paying, non-skilled jobs; Borrow money from the rich Sir Pirate of the West Indies and others; establish low-paying jobs and contend that there is no unemployment; Under-educate your people so that they won't understand your plan to rob them blind; suck Social Security, Medical Benefits and State Insurance dry... and use the money as if it's government income; fix the roads every five years and point to that as economic development;

8. To make sure that ALP politicians fulfill their promise of giving away the country's resources to that rich Sir Pirate of the West Indies.

9. You want a government job, so that you can go to work any time and you don't even have to go if you do not want. You will still get paid... whenever there is money.

10. Every five years, you want your turkey and ham, twin bed spread, kerosene stove, Pentium III computer, good used fridge, shower curtain, pots and pans, 500W microwave and, sand and chip stone to build... just tell them you will vote red... or tell them you live in St. Peters.

12. You are a government worker who likes the idea of not getting paid at the end of the month...

13. You want Antigua and Barbuda to be known as a country that has a very poor international image, is seen as a haven for international criminals, and a country whose leaders have large bank accounts in plenty of far off countries.

14. You are not Antiguan and you want to use the name of a dead person to get an Antiguan passport! You know exactly who you should go to!

15. You really, really, really like that heavy-set (used to be very fat) guy in red who was shown on TV dancing, twisting, wriggling, jiggling and wining up - on one leg...

Right Track! Right Direction! Wrong Speed!

2009-02-11T14:53:00.003-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I am reminded of an old car that I once had. I had problems with the windows... When I tried to wind up the glass for the left front door... it would go up real, real slowly. I checked it! It was not off track... it was on the right track between the rubber frame. But, for some reason... it was very tight! It was going up... in the right direction! But it was frustratingly slow... until I sprayed some lubricant on the track! Then... whishhhhhh - up it went! Right Track! Right Direction! Really Quickly! Just as it should!

This article should be seen as a little lubricant for the UPP - that they need to use after we re-elect them!

Those of us who have supported the UPP over the years knew that when and if they were ever elevated by the people to be the stewards of our government they would need more than one term to put our country back on the right track and heading in the right direction.

And they have done that... more or less! There are many things they can be critiqued and criticized for. But the one criticism that I have - even understanding that they need more than one term - is that they have moved much two slowly.

The Mount St. John's Hospital; The Car Park; The St. John's Library; The two major projects that had been planned for Rural West; The Airport Project; Conducting a thorough revamping of the Civil Service; The Transportation Board Building at Herberts... and those are the projects that jump out of my mind without doing any research.

Yes... they have had problems... But problems are what we put them there to solve. Yes... these are major projects... but major projects are the natural and normal domain of governments.

Yes, there were management and administrative problems... But much of that was because they embraced the ALP way of running government by allowing Ministers to administrate and manage rather than making policy decisions and allowing their technocrats, consultants and administrators to do the job of developing, implementing and delivering!

Another reason for some of their management and administrative problems had to do with the UPP's decision not to crack and crush the stranglehold that the ALP leaning permanent secretaries had on every ministry and their collectively purposeful decision to stymie their new UPP Ministers.

Slow was the go as the UPP tried to deliver its Agenda for Change!

So, for the most part, they have been on the right track. They are heading in the right direction. But, they are moving much too slowly.

Only now, on election eve, are we seeing progress with the some of the efforts regarding the allegations of corruption. In many communities, we are now seeing new roads or re-paved roads. In other communities, new lights poles have gone up. In others, clinics have opened, a few sports facilities have been developed and a few others fenced.

Just yesterday, we heard that the UPP Government had received the Lindquist report. Even more importantly, reportedly the Government received a settlement from Bruce Rappaport which amounted to US$12 Million!

All of this on the eve of the election.

What does this say to me? It says that the UPP can move more quickly when the push is on... when the heat is on... when they must!

Being on the right track and going in the right direction is only two thirds of what's needed. You need to be fast!

My mother is 94 years old, and she remembers when it took two weeks to travel to England by boat. Now you can get there within eight hours. In this age of speed... we now have email instead of snail-mail (post office mail). We have instant messaging versus telex and cable messages. Whether you are in Antigua or any part of Africa, the technology is available so that you can now see some of the UPP's meetings on live video stream as they happen. We have video conferences where the consultant in Washington DC can attend and take part in the meeting in your High Street office along with you and your colleagues... virtually!

We cannot wait for the snail's pace of the slow train... even if it is on the Right Track and going in the Right Direction! UPP needs to really speed it up!

Speed up the development in the Point area, in the Gray's Green Community, in Old Road, and in all the other communities in Antigua!

We need speed to deal with the deepening economic crisis that is hammering the world. It is clear that that tsunami is about to hit Antigua... we need speed in our preparations and in our responses... rather than speedy excuses and explanations as to what took us so long to respond.

We have a generation of young people who will not tolerate the "It takes patience" and "We got to get it right" mentalities! As a matter of fact, they won't understand those mindsets... it is foreign to them.

Why is this important for the UPP? Well, maybe not now... but definitely in the next election, a significant percentage of these young people will be voting. They will have heard this year's excuses and they will not want to hear them again. I don't and neither will they.

Get that UPP train running at full speed... as a matter of fact you may need to put in a new engine... and if it runs so quickly that it goes a little off track... well... no problem. We will bring it back on track at full speed... while turning corners... even adjusting our direction... without slowing down.

Right Track! Right Direction!

Now let's get plenty Acceleration!

Develop the Grays Green Community! Now!

2009-02-10T17:03:00.004-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

Each time I am in the Grays Green Community a deep sense of frustration - and even - anger - grabs me... holds on to me and sometimes... chokes me up and makes my eyes moist!

The area is still undeveloped! Still high in crime! Still high... very high unemployment! Still high levels of drop outs! Still a lot of garbage around the streets! And the gutters... still... well... very smelly!

Unemployed young and old men hang out on the corners... still. As a matter of fact... many of the adult men... in their forties... were students of mine at the Greenbay School! Many of their children are now hanging out on the opposite sides of the corners that their dads hang out on... or just around and behind Knuckle Block!

Their fathers are unemployed. The children are undereducated and unemployed! And many of them are drug users and alcoholics... or both.

Historically, over 40 years ago the ALP leader decided that he would purposefully ignore Rural West... and even though they won the seat several times... ALP did nothing for the community. Absolutely - unequivocally nothing.

Forty years later, we have a new dispensation... where the leader of the new era... not only lives in the area... but is a product of Greenbay... born and bred! And we are proud of him.

In the new sunshine dispensation, we expected that a new era would have been ushered in where, for the first time, the people of our community would be first in line. First in line after having been taken for granted for forty years. First in line because we had been purposefully and vindictively dissed for forty years.

But forty years later... and five years after the Prime Minister of the new dispensation took the reins... the same Prime Minister who was born and bred there... nothing... absolutely and unequivocally nothing has happened!

Now... yes... I heard the Prime Minister outline what he says he has done. A clinic in Grays Farm. A mini-clinic in Five Islands. School meals program at both schools... Greenbay and Five Islands! A few roads here and there!

Yes... Mr. Prime Minister... those have been done! But, they amount to absolutely and unequivocally nothing. In the context of the last forty years: Nothing! In the context of the vindictiveness of the ALP regime: Nothing. In the context of what the people of the Community expected: Nothing.

In the context of the years of blind support that they gave to you Mr. Prime Minister... what you have done amounts to ZERO!

Now I know that you explained that your portfolio is that of Chief Servant of the the whole nation. Fair enough! But we put you there. Your Chief Servant status came as a result of the people of Rural West putting you in a position to be elevated. How long have we supported you knowing that your party would not win? But the people of Rural West never abandoned you! Indeed, you deserved our support! Indeed, you had been a good steward of the community. Not only were you good... you were faithful! And so we were faithful to you!

But today, the community still looks abandoned! It still looks left behind! Unemployment is very high... under-employment is even higher! Crime is high... sky high! The housing situation is atrocious. The health situation is precarious. Poverty is a constant reality.

After the last election, when the Sunshine Government was ushered in... people had a new look in their eyes... the look of hope... the look of anticipation that the Agenda for Change was a manuscript that spelled a changed agenda for Rural West!

Now five years later... hope - like the look in the people's eyes - has dimmed!

Now I heard the Prime Minister ask the people to be patient... Patient? After forty years? Patient because he has the whole nation to think about? What about the people who put you there... year after year after year... And just when you triumphed... you seemed to have forgotten... Now you ask for patience.

I heard your plans... and promises on Sunday night. And I can tell you... as I stood there... the tears were not far away... Because I have heard them before... promised by ALP politicians... who had no intention to deliver... I had heard them before... and I knew then they were empty... And I even heard them before... from you... in 2004 and hope sparkled then only to be dimmed now.

I do not accept, Mr. Prime Minister, your excuses... that you were busy... that you had to take care of Rural East... they were well taken of by their just-come - turn-coat politician. You said that you were busy with - well all the others... so busy that you forgot your own.

Well... no more promises.

I no longer live in that community. But that is where my heart is. That is where I lived for 34 years of my life and where my home was for 45 years. That is where I taught. That is where I played. That is where I coached soccer. That is where I learned to dog paddle. That is where I climbed my first coconut tree. That is where I caught my first fish. That is where I dug into a crab hole and got pinched! That is where... well... that is where all my firsts are! I am emotionally and spiritually attached to Perry Bay, Tinning Village, Greenbay, Grays Farm, Hatton, Cooks Hill, Donovans, Christian Street... Just like you are...

Or just like you used to show that you were.

Get back to your roots, Mr. Prime Minister. Get back to the community that birthed and bred you. The community that you served and served well in a lot of capacities. The community that you spent endless hours making important contributions. Get back to the community that supported you... through thick and thin... and that will continue to support you...

Let me be clear! People like me will not support ALP. There is nothing that ALP can do to get my vote... or the vote of people who think like me! And taking money from the Pirate of the West Indies... will not help the ALP get any more votes. Not in Rural West! I ... and people like me... will continue to make sure that the history books are closed on ALP - in Rural West and everywhere else. They will not win another election... not in Rural West! And no amount of money can buy our votes!

However, Mr. Prime Minister that does not mean that you can take us for granted. Not for another five years... not for another minute! As a community... as a family... your family... we still support you. But we are tired of being taken for granted... by anybody... particularly one of our own.

Your first duty is to the your community - YOUR community! No more patience! No more waiting! No more promises!

So when we re-elect you... Mr. Prime Minister... take your community from the back burner put it on the front burner... front and center... your number one priority... First in line!

This is our time... for change! And we will once again elect you to be the deliverer!

Deliver!

That Pirate Does It Again!

2009-02-09T17:49:00.002-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

When the infamous pirate of the West Indies was throwing around money in Antigua, people lined up with the hope of lining their pockets. Those who lined up - apparently included the Government of Antigua. I guess I should say successive Antiguan Governments. For such is the case and such is the truth. They held their hands out for moneys and because nothing comes free... they gave away the people's lands.

When the infamous pirate was giving moneys to West Indian sporting enterprises... millions of dollars... even formerly culturally and socially conscious sporting greats got sucked into the pirate's money trap. And of course, even less famous sporting figures lined up to reap the apparently cheap harvest of dollars in a recent Roman type spectacle. They soon realized that this may well have been a one-only occasion... since the pirate's return on his investment is seriously in doubt. (No obvious real estate lands here! But he might well have hit the ultimate psychological real-estate jackpot for the minds and hearts - not only of Antiguans - but West Indian peoples everywhere.)

Ordinary Antiguans too lined up for their share. Lots of work... apparently doing nothing. I once saw about 30 guys working on the cricket field day after day... pulling out weeds, watering one spot and watching it for an hour or two... taking a break under the shade of a fat tree... then repeating the process 10 yards away. And plenty people got work over the last few years. And, according to them, they were well paid. (Pirates always pay well... with their ill-gotten treasure - which of course they flaunt). Anyway... a couple of weeks ago, the pirate, in preparation for the upcoming election, and in order to unduly influence it, laid off hundreds of workers. Of course he had a good cover. The world financial system, where he apparently plies his piratical wheeling and dealing, is in a mess... probably because of other pirates like himself.

When the infamous pirate promised dollars for development in exchange for apparently non-developed land... politicians on both sides of the aisle put their open hands on the table... (quite a few under also). Of course, as pirates do, if they failed to do precisely as he commanded and demanded... he cut them off... not their hands or their necks, but their supply of pirate treasure. Or... like pirates throughout history, he hanged them... out to dry.

And he is again at it.

Now we hear that according to one senior politician, that 'reprobate' has reportedly given $15 Million to the red tide so that they can fulfill their promises to him. They publicly indicate that they will give him whatever he wants! Whatever he wants! They will give up the people's lands... again. Not only lands... prime lands... and only they know what else!

Of course the current administration had their own hands out at one time. As a matter of fact, they have had a schizophrenic relationship with the 'reprobate' as they called him. It was an on and off relationships, characterized with a lot of start and stops, a lot of pushing forward and pulling back. They could not make up their minds if they could trust him or not. They wanted his money... but not his demands.

When they pulled back... he pouted. He fussed. He fumed. He threatened. He played both sides against each other. And then, he went west and embarrassed the 'Chief Servant' in his own constituency.

Of course within the same party he was doing his own pushing and pulling, promising and agitating. He wants to anoint his own leader. One with whom he has a legal history. One with whom he has had financial wheeling and dealing - prior to the 2004 Administration. Some people say that that he has courted his own man within the cabinet of power and that that man has been courded and wedded to be elevated to ascend the full throne of power.

I don't know what has happened to that. But I do know that pirates don't put all their eggs in one basket... they don't bury all their ill-gotten treasures in one hole... Maybe they do still have a relationship... maybe not... I would bet - yes!

But he is placing two bets on two different horses... just to make sure. He certainly is putting several millions (More than $5M - I hear) into the pot in the west. He wants to make sure that if the blue wave wins that the Big Man is not there to lead them... His man... the man he has courted... he is hoping will be elevated...

Well... those of us with any sense of decency... with any sense of national pride must send a strong message to the blue wave. It is the same message I heard repeated by the Chief Servant on Sunday night.

Don't be bought! Don't succumb to promises of piratical riches! Don't deal with the 'reprobate'!

Stand up... we will vote for you. We will support you!

"Chief Servant You Are In Safe Hands!"

What A Crowd!

2009-02-09T00:13:00.002-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

King George V Ground was packed! It was filled with a sea - an ocean of blue and yellow!

People from everywhere... the young, the old, the middle-aged, the infirmed, people in wheel-chairs... They were all there...

They came to endorse the candidacies of Lenworth Johnson, Bertrand Joseph, Winston Williams and the Honourable Prime Minister, Baldwin Spencer! They also came to hear the date of the election!

The atmosphere was a carryover from the motorcade that was held earlier today! Festive! Supportive! Confident!

A lot of substance was shared tonight! The candidates and their colleagues gave the massive crowd the reasons why they should give UPP five more years! They highlighted the fact that the ALP was running scared and that there was only one reason why ALP was contesting the election: They wanted to avoid justice!

But Justice Day is coming! It will be here within 21 days!

Yes the Prime Minister indicated that he would dissolve Parliament tomorrow... Monday February 9th.

The election is just starting to warm up! People are getting ready! As a matter of fact I think that the people are more ready than the candidates! And so they were disappointed when they did not hear a specific election date!

But the people are ready and they demonstrated that today and tonight!!!

Massive Parade!

2009-02-08T23:57:00.002-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley

Today's parade... the UPP motorcade was massive. I stood and watched as it passed by on All Saints Road. Cars, trucks,pick-ups,lorries, big buses, little buses, SUVs, vans, motor bikes, ATV's, and all kinds of alterations and adaptions of these. There was even a man in a superman suit (he wasn't flying).

The motorcade kept passing and passing and passing... for over 100 minutes...

The people seemed to be in a festive mood... waving and shouting and singing and carrying on.

They had flags, banners, posters, and assortment of promotional materials. They wore blue.

They wore gold. They wore yellow. And the owners of red vehicles made sure that their vehicles were adorned and covered in blue and gold.

Of course the favorite vocal refrain was: No pain like labour pain! Vote UPP again!

Of course there were a few people who tried to be spoilers... like the truck adorned in red... with a handful of ALP supporters.... who somehow got caught in the middle of the parade... they were quickly, quietly and firmly removed by the police! Of course they were in no danger from the peaceful UPP multitude. And then there were the three ALP supporters, adorned in red, who stood at the side of the road cussing and carrying on as the BLUE WAVE rolled on! That only served to stir up the people as they passed... horns blared, the music was turned up a little louder, people shouted - drowning out whatever nonsense the ALP die-hards were trying to say!

It was good to see! It had a good feel! And the sounds - they are worth remembering! I am glad I was there to witness it... Of course my 94 year old mother was at my side... waving and hailing people as they passed! My sons were there too! And... Cleon... well - she was already in the motorcade!

A massive motorcade!

Uncomfortably Comfortable

2009-02-04T12:00:00.012-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

January 5th 2009: Last evening I attended the commissioning of the new UPP election headquarters - or 'command center' as they called it. Reportedly there was a massive crowd! Why reportedly when I was right there? Well it is hard to tell the size of crowds when the people are tightly packed on a narrow road. The claim was that the road was packed solid for over two blocks! I was standing in one place for the duration of the activity… and that made me uncomfortable.

In any case there were many other issues with which I was uncomfortable… some decidedly made me warm under the collar.

The first issue was the fact that UPP imported a band – all the way from Jamaica, the Fab 5, to play for the event. Why was the UPP so willing to spend the kind of money that they obviously did in order to have this band from Jamaica? Is it that we don’t have any quality bands in Antigua that could have done as well or better? Or, is it that all of the quality bands or already committed to the other party?

Another issue was the fact that although there were a number of religious ‘acts’ and two Bishops– none of them really said or did anything that I think remotely suggested that this was a dedication or ceremonial opening of a new headquarters. In truth, throughout the evening no one, not the ‘hidden’ mysterious voice that seemed at times to be playing the role of the 'Honourable' Mistress of Ceremonies, not even the Prime Minister, paid much attention, if any, to why we were invited to this event! As far as I can recall, the Bishops did not bless the place. The mysterious ‘Honourable’ Mistress of Ceremonies who I can’t remember being introduced, or introducing herself by name, did not reference the building, or the new office, or ‘election command center’.

And then there is the matter of the building itself. I was very uncomfortable with whom it is rented from. I groaned when I was told the name of the owner. Here we go again: Same family. Different part of the family tree maybe? Whatever - same name! Here we go again with these unseemly relationships! I wonder who engineered that pathetic stroke of un-genius.

Then of course, there was the missing parliamentary representative. The Prime Minister claims that he was absent because his wife had taken ill. There is much that can be said – but of course all of that would be speculation. The least that I can say is that his absence was profoundly curious! He was missed only to the effect that the numbers did not add up... I kept saying one is missing… one is missing… Then it dawned on me who the one was… And for that reason the excuse did not add up either. As a matter of fact two were missing… the representative from Barbuda for whatever reason was not there… At least… he was not introduced to us and no excuse was given for his absence.

The core of my discomfort, however, was centered on all the accolades and dramatic tributes that were heaped on the Prime Minister before his presentation. Most of Fab 5’s songs featured the Honorable Prime Minister and the introduction read by the well known voice of the ‘hidden’ Mistress of Ceremonies heaped praises and compliments on him. And then there was the love song that one of the featured singers sung for him as he stood there listening and blushing… “Everything I do, I do it for you”! I certainly like the lyrics “Take me as I am - take my life - I would give it all - I would sacrifice” as a testimony for this giant from Rural West. But I am distinctly uncomfortable when a party elevates an individual above the party.

Last night was not about the building or the command center. Last night was not about the members of the UPP election team. Last night was not even about the UPP. As a matter of fact – even the Chairman of the party was missing from the program. Last night was not about the supporters of the UPP. Last night was not about the opposition. Last night was not about the pending election.

Last night appeared to be about Baldwin Spencer. And for that reason I was uncomfortably comfortable.

I was and continue to be distinctly uncomfortable that UPP finds itself in a position where it has to highlight the party leader rather than put the major emphasis on the party and its other candidates. The Baldwin Spencer that I know would be uncomfortable with this. As a matter of fact Baldwin Spencer was uncomfortable. In his own words, at the microphone, he said “Wow, this feels like a coronation.” And a coronation it appeared to be!

Last night I was squirming in my shoes. Not that he does not deserve the accolades. Not that he does not deserve the tributes. But this is not about Baldwin Spencer. The situation we find ourselves in as a nation is millions of times bigger than any one personality.

But… I also saw the necessity. I saw several psychological and practical reasons for the attempt at ‘coronation’. I more than saw the necessity… I was comfortable with the fact that it was attempted. I was more than comfortable… I leaned towards supporting it… even in my discomfort.

First of all, in politics as in most anything else that involves human beings, the cult of the individual deity or leader is paramount. Whether it be Krishna, Yahwe, Allah or the Christian God. Whether it be Jesus, Mohammed or Buddha. Whether it be Napoleon, George Washington, Kennedy, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Hitler, Fidel Castro, or Mandela. Or whether it be George Walter, V.C. Bird, Barack Obama or Baldwin Spencer. The cult of the individual leader works. And sometimes works well. And it seems to work particularly well when the party is faced with opposition on various fronts.

In the current situation, UPP is faced with opposition on several fronts. On one front is the obvious opposition from the ALP. I say obvious but by no means do I imply trivial. The ALP led by Lester Bird is a force to be reckoned with. On another front there are of course the want-to-be parties that are nibbling at the heels of the two major parties. They are this moment are inconsequential.

Less obvious but definitely significant are the not so hidden forces of the moneyed who are attempting to hijack the democratic process by reportedly sliding millions of dollars into the coffers of individual candidates of both major parties.
So what does all this have to do with my being uncomfortably comfortable? And specifically why I am comfortable with last night’s focus on Baldwin Spencer? Well… it is rumored that key individuals of the moneyed class are trying to fund and buy Mr. Spencer’s demise… either to have him lose his seat or more demonically… to have him lose the support of the candidates that he currently will lead into the elections. What does this mean? It means that if UPP wins, the moneyed pirates of Antigua, would like to see a UPP parliamentarian – one who used to be in inner circle of the ALP – uplifted to the leadership of the government and replace Mr. Spencer.

So… in my mind, last night was an attempt by those in the party who continue to support the Prime Minister to send a strong message not only to the electorate, but to his not-so-hidden detractors within his own Cabinet. The message says that Baldwin Spencer is the leader of the party. Baldwin Spencer is the people’s champion. Baldwin Spencer is the conscience of the UPP. Baldwin Spencer represents the roots of the party. Baldwin Spencer represents the common folk of the party. Baldwin Spencer is the people’s choice to continue to lead the party into the future.

Last night was a warning to those who would usurp the leadership that no just-come turn-‘coat’ politician who was part of the problem in the past can come into this – from that – and take over. It is a warning to those who ‘court’ the favors of millionaires and who themselves have benefitted millions for court-ing millionaires, and who have not paid their dues by court-ing the people of Antigua and Barbuda cannot and will not be allowed to connive against the natural leader of the country.
Those within the UPP courtyard, who court the American millionaire pirate, who court the middle-eastern pirate family, who court the worst inclinations of their parliamentary colleagues, who have continuously clandestinely undermined and stymied the financial decisions of the Honourable Prime Minister, and who have done so at home and abroad, should take warning. Take heed.

Last night was also a warning to those others who have become rich in five years – not from the ministerial or parliamentary representative salaries – that they should tread cautiously. None of them on that stage last night received any particularly noticeable response from the people. As a matter of fact, with the exception of the candidate from City South , most of the responses were tepid… at best. The crowd reserved their accolades for the man of the night. Their livelihood and their lifestyles, continue to be at the whim and fancy of the common folk… enabled, maintained and perpetuated through the people’s champion.

So last night the crowd gave tribute to the Honourable Prime Minister through their vociferous cheering. They indicated that they approve of him and that they support him.

I did too.

Although I was – and still am – both comfortable and un-comfortable!

The World Watches… Antigua Watches… Silently!

2009-01-13T19:47:00.003-05:00

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

I have had it. I have been silent too long. I have watched too long… silently. Enough is enough.

The world watches… silently as Israel destroys Palestine. The world watches silently as Israel kills children, mothers, grandmothers and great grandfathers. The world watches silently. Antigua watches… silently!

World leaders – all of them – are afraid to raise a voice against Israel. World leaders – cowardly – all of them – afraid to confront the genocidal Israeli aggression against the people of Palestine. Antiguan leaders… cowardly… silent…

And why? Hamas, they say, started the current situation by firing a few missiles against Israel… killing a handful of Israelis. And for that, Israel, in return kills almost a thousand Palestinian men, women and children and wounds thousands more. Israel destroys schools, hospitals, apartment buildings and Palestinian infrastructure.

And why? Because Israel senses a change in the air. A new administration is entering Washington, and Israel is uncertain of how the new president will really respond to the one-sided power play in the mid-east. And so, using Hamas stupid and folly attack they respond with all their might.

Israel, the only nuclear power in the region, receiving billions of U.S. dollars of military aid every year, receiving the best of America’s military weaponry – uses it against poor people who can scarcely afford food.

Over the years, I have noticed that the world seems to put more value on a few Israeli lives than hundreds of Palestinian lives. A Palestinian suicide bomber creates havoc in an Israeli town and kills ten Israelis. Israel responds by unleashing its military might and kills five hundred Palestinian. One Israeli child dies… world leaders respond with outrage. Fifteen Palestinian children die… those same leaders are silent.

They say… like Bush and Rice said recently… that Israel has a right to defend itself. OK. So what about the Palestinians? I guess they have no rights at all. No rights to defend their lands stolen first by the British and given to Israel. And then perpetually being stolen and carved up by Israel for the Jewish immigrants they import from around the world. I don’t care how old this issue is… these are modern times. You cannot steal my land and say it belonged to your ancestors ten thousand years ago. All people everywhere have a right to defend their land.

And the world watches and is silent as Israel steals the land and kills the owners… and the children of the owners. As a matter of fact the world does not only watch… they help Israel to perpetrate these heinous acts… not only with their silence… but with the moneys and weapons that they give Israel every year.

I cannot perceive anything more terrifying than hearing the monstrous road of 20 of the world’s most sophisticated and technologically capable warplanes rolling through the skies dropping bombs at will without my people having any chance to defend ourselves.

I cannot perceive anything more terrible than having tanks roll across the soccer fields of my schools and down the alleys of my communities belching exploding rockets into our schools, mosques and hospitals.

I cannot perceive anything more terrorist-like than seeing our babies being blown up in their cribs, seeing our young children with their legs blown off, and seeing our elderly dying at the sides of our streets.

I cannot perceive a feeling of being so very helpless knowing that I cannot respond… that I have no war planes to fight back with… that I have no tanks to roll around in and confront the enemy…

I cannot perceive how it feels to know… that no one cares… that all the other nations… even my Muslim brother and sister nations… silent…

Israel… a country… a people who ought to know better because of what they endured fifty years ago. Israel… now… they are the perpetrators of murder and worse... trying to wipe out the Palestinian leadership… and the world is as silent now as it was when something similar was perpetrated against them.

Israel… and why is the world afraid of Israel? That answer is for another day. Today… Israel, here is one person who is not afraid of you. But the rest of the world is.

And, our leaders in Antigua are like those others. Cowardly. Afraid to raise their voices publicly.

I have had it. I have been silent too long. I have watched too long… silently. Enough is enough. I will no longer be silent.