Much jubilation usually surrounds the occasion of Independence celebrations in the region and as St. Lucia marks its 47th Anniversary of Independence the country is expected to be in hyper mode. Organized events with national podium pronouncements to aid, accentuated with flags perched atop the roofs of vehicles all geared at creating the independence mood.
But what really are we celebrating and what is independence to a small island state like ours?
It was a dream come true when the pronouncement was made in 1979 that St. Lucia was now grown-up and can go out into the world to carve out its own destiny, make new friends and attach itself to what it deemed were beneficial alliances.
Many believe that an independent society is one that has complete control of its global manoeuvring, able to manage its own security and has a complete food security program. If that is the case, there may be fewer independent countries than originally thought.
Others believe that an independent state is simply one that is free to make decisions that positively affect its citizens irrespective of global trends.
Wilder still, some push the notion that St. Lucia’s Independence came, not as a gift, but as a burden off the shoulders of the colonial motherland desperately seeking to rid itself of now worthless dependents.
If one or all of these definitions and suggestions of truth were actual, it may be reasonable to suggest that St. Lucia is yet to gain its independence. Likewise, much of the region would be in that same boat. Is a vote at the General Assembly of the United Nations anything more then sounding brass and tinkling cymbals (1 Corinthians 13.1)?
The arguments are based on the fact that almost everything that affects us is dictated by foreign superpowers and there is little that can be done about it in our current state. There are many examples that can be referenced. Of late, the Cuban-St. Lucia medical relationship has come into sharp focus and may have to eventually be completely disbanded due to pressure from the United States. Cuba has long been at the wrong end of US foreign policy and St. Lucia now suffers because of that decades old policy pushed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, himself of Cuban descent.
Also, the fact that almost all of our food is imported lends to this argument. While it would be an absolute dream for us to produce what we eat and eat what we produce, do we even have the capacity to accomplish that given the limited space, manpower shortage and obvious unwillingness?
Let’s not even speak about national security.
Whatever the perception of independence and its celebration, one thing is certain, we do have the independent responsibility to provide for ourselves as a country. Maybe that is what we need to celebrate most of all. The fact that for almost 50 years we have been able, for the most part, to keep ourselves afloat while traversing turbulent global waters is worthy of some praise.
With all that said, Happy Independence in advance as the celebrations have seemingly already started.