Misplacing Our Focus

FROM Thursday evening, I have taken a backseat to observe the way St. Lucians as well as the media…local and regional have been revelling in the juicy scandal that has rained down on us all like liquid gold and has given tongues and thumbs some serious exercise.

I sat back and I paid close attention to the way a minister’s alleged extra-marital sexual escapades has exposed the serious issue we have in this island…the issue of poor prioritising.

“So psst, hear dat uh”…can you people seriously not see that your focus is misplaced and is similar to that of an easily distracted toddler as you have allowed this incident to take over the real issues at hand?

At the rate locals are going, DSH is now literally last week’s news and the serious crime problem is now on ice until another life is lost and more blood is shed!

By the looks of things, Dr. Raymond’s sex life is more important than the fact that almost the entire south of our island is still being handed out to a Chinese national for development purposes. We need to wake up.

You people make it so hard for others to want to fight for your sake because you continuously show that you couldn’t give a toss about the well-being of your island home.

It is only when the dung hits the fan and you are affected personally, then you want to come out and cry foul…but by then, the damage has already been done and it is too late.

Okay, so I get the fact that a breaking story like this one was bound to cause a massive stir. It is juicy and scandalous, and so it tickles all the right spots in us red blooded beings, but when it gets to the point when almost a whole day of productivity is lost because nobody could focus on their jobs for much longer than ten minutes because all they could talk about was a public figure’s genitals, as well as playing judge, jury and executioner for both parties involved, then we have a serious problem.

Also, this is not to say that the story is not impactful, after all, we are talking about tarnish to our image as an island and the integrity of the people who represent us as a government, but this cannot replace the dark clouds hanging over our heads.

People, I get that this was a big talking point, but let’s not lose sight of what truly matters, because at the end of the day, Dr. Raymond can resign or stay on the job, he can stay married or get divorced, he can make statements or stay mum on the matter, but none of that changes the price of coffee in St. Lucia…it has no effect on the running of this island; however, whilst you’re busy sharing the photos being circulated, you or a loved one just could be the next victim of crime (God forbid)…then what? Is that what it would take to get your minds back to the real issues afoot?

While you snigger at the Minister’s fall from grace the government is still moving full steam ahead towards completing that dreaded DSH deal…do you even understand the magnitude of this deal? This deal as one of the worst decisions to be made for our island, and I wholeheartedly believe this is just the first step towards our island being sold in its entirety.

Whilst focusing on Thursday’s scandal, you should be focusing on what you will say to your great grand children in 20-30 years time, when they are living in an age where they have no say and their government gets away with whatever they want, because you had no backbone to take a stand when it mattered.

I can tell you one thing, the very same way the folks of my generation look at the older generation with animosity for the way they have allowed the attitude of not standing up for yourselves to reign supreme, and so people were quick to shrug off injustice and mumble to themselves as opposed to showing their former governments who was the boss, we have another thing coming with the generations behind us if we don’t break the chains and silence of our parents and grandparents to clear a strong and positive path for our children.

Whilst we mumble just like our parents and grandparents, the upcoming generations will not be as passive, and they will not be as forgiving…in fact, they will have zero respect for us as their predecessors, but the sad part is that they will still face a mammoth task of making any breakthroughs, because our hard heads would have caused stubborn and bully governments to build unbreakable walls and form so many loopholes to suit themselves and their dastardly, greedy ways, thus making it near impossible for them to live freely and comfortably in their own island.

People, my fellow St. Lucians, please don’t fall for this trick where you are stuck on some trivial matter whilst the big deal is going down behind your backs…don’t fall for it!

Snap back to reality and stare this monster in the face…don’t back down and don’t falter.

Without wanting to sound like Captain Planet (for those who remember the cartoon), the power really is yours. If you choose to keep your head in the sand for the sake of your party and politics, then I’m afraid you are on the same path as the ones signing our country and in fact, our lives away.

Right now, this is not about party preference, this is not about stalling or stopping national and economic progress, this is not about spitting in anyone’s face. This is about our legacy as St. Lucians, this is about national pride, this is about preservation of our little island so that in our old age, we can look back and still call our island “home” and also so that our great grandchildren can be able to brag about their island of St. Lucia with pride in their adult years.

Let me leave you with some food for thought, doesn’t it strike a chord with you that whilst we have an island that we could not give two hoots about and we are so nonchalant about allowing foreign investors to come on in and “invest”, that same island is like fresh hot bread to so many outsiders who are clamouring to buy our nationality?

Why do you think this is? They clearly see the value of our home, so why aren’t we seeing it and fighting tooth and nail to ensure that it stays ours?