Disempowerment of Locals Must Stop

[bombshell]

Dr. Isaac Newton's article in Caribarena on Sunday, 05 July 2009:
'Departing from the Wisdom of V.C. Bird Sr.: A Nation in Peril, '
represents a social analysis with hard hitting truths worthy of
persuasive and memorable merits. He discusses how the marginalization
and dis-empowerment of ordinary people by empowered bureaucracy can
create huge social and income disparities with the potential for
social chaos. This problem is not just local to Antigua and Barbuda
but has regional expressions as well.


While V.C. 'Papa' Bird's folkloric wisdom [Keep economic influence and
political power separately] was riddled with good intentions, once
that theory was applied, it proved to be fundamentally flawed in
philosophy and disastrous in practice. Because in reality economic
influence usually determines political outcome.


Following Antigua and Barbuda's independence in 1981, PM Vere Cornwall
Bird public declaration and prudence began to be eroded, when he
authorized the appointment of Ramez Fares Hadeed, Ambassador to the
Mid-East in 1982. PM V.C. Bird also set the tone for Ramez Hadeed
knighthood on June 1, 2001 , adding more empowerment to the influence
of this ethnic-moneyed class.


Moreover, former Foreign Affairs Minister Lester Bryant Bird continued
that article of faith, which became the Antigua Labour Party’s [ALP]
political tradition. The 'foreignization' that his cabinet colleague
once accused him of in 1986, was instantly blamed on his father [V C.
Bird] by the culpable and questionable Foreign Affairs Minister.
Nevertheless, the concept of underdevelopment and inequitable
imbalance was equally accepted; and further implemented when Lester
Bird became Prime Minister on 09th March 1994.

Although this practice betrays national development for self-interests
and is considered under-the-table politics, decades later, the
benefits of the same merchant class continues unbroken--not only with
huge public procurements, but other aspects of trade. Until this
collective custom is replaced by a transparent policy that
indisputably empowers the majority, the manipulation of the masses
will continue.


Unfortunately, the United Progressive Party government of Hon. PM
Baldwin Spencer fails to correct this historic injustice of social
inequities.


For that reason many retreat from the 'folkloric wisdom' of the ALP
government and developed their own survival skills. In developing
economies, micro-entrepreneurs suffer from ready access to capital.
Their plight is further compounded when moneyed interests dictate
locked them out of processes of wealth accumulation and ownership of
national resources. Minority compulsive greed is usually exercised at
the expense of the majority’s quality of life.


It is documented that formal financial institutions supply the top 25%
of economically active with ready capital,but this practice leaves the
bottom 75% without access to formal financial services. As a result,
future generations remain enslaved to the patronage of the few.

Consequently, the politics of biased patronage becomes problematic.
And, social classes are made to become acutely inequitable, resulting
in overwhelming feelings of being barred from opportunities of self
empowerment.

If the UPP were to be driven by a people-first vision and conviction,
there are many transactions that it would have nullified especially
because the people gave the party a mandate for righting the wrongs.
Sadly, the status quo flourished even more to the benefit of the
moneyed interests.

Clearly, the ideology of the past remains ever present, from issues on
migration to government MPs and opposition parliamentarians, alleged
to be receiving campaign funds from predatory sources.

Given this backdrop, it is noteworthy that economic plunder not only
exist through multilateral borrowing. In fact, it is both odious and
offensive, that when procurements and exemptions are pledged to
benefactors, at the expense of the taxpayers’ hard earned labor, this
practice is not seen, as economic exploitation. But it is.

Having voted for change, Antiguans and Barbudans were deeply
disappointed. For example, there were fundamental reasons why Aziz
Hadeed should not be given any powerful role in government; yet that
was done in March 2004, subsequently followed by Dr. Edmond Mansoor in
2005. Public outcry was muted, though some were enraged.

The many similarities in governance between the ALP and the UPP raises
its ugly head again. A culture of secrecy still reigns and political
patronage continues without limit. It seems that the people’s votes
are assigned to the merchants’ class to further dominate and control
their economic activity, with little outcry and mass condemnation.

The UPP government still appoints the merchant class to ambassadorial
roles; and two influential members of this ethnic minority were given
appointments to China and Mid-East. Interestingly, these are two
developing economies with major business probability.


Although these ambassadors boast of not receiving cash in the name of
public service, they are obviously receiving indirect compensation
Such ‘in kind’ compensations should be measured in trade resource
contacts and other business contracts, worth billions, but geared more
towards private over public interests. Under the guise of charitable
public service, there is obvious collective family interest that
accrues greater prosperity.

Up to now, we have not heard of any business related activities or
trade missions from either China or the Mid-East that are designed to
develop the state. Why?

Antigua and Barbuda should learn from Haiti. Haiti's demise is ever
present, when one considers the ethnic minority problem there. This
group is only 3%, but controlling more than 44% of national income.
Compared to Antigua, the ethnic minority of 0.6% controls over 60% of
the national income, this is extremely unethical.

Consequently, the government must forge stronger links and give viable
empowerment to the majority to avert a violent social crisis waiting
to happen.

In the 2009 election we saw strong evidence pointing to the moneyed
interest intent on corrupting the electoral process, in an effort, to
subvert Antigua and Barbuda’s independence and political integrity.
All this was in clear view at the expense of the public's well-being.

In an American Studies Journal article: 'The Arab American Way: The
Success Story of an American from a Syrian Village in Global Diaspora'
by Anton Escher, Number 52 [winter 2008/2009] http://asjournal.zusas.uni-halle.de/152.html,
[Please Read This Article] issues of exploitation as an MO are clearly
detailed. Having read this article, I see many similarities operating
in Antigua.


The sum of all this is that we are witnessing the twin threat of
widespread lawlessness and monstrous political misgiving. This is
coupled with clamoring global economic times and together these forces
are likely to collide to create lethal outbursts, which may very well
penetrate the Halls of Parliament, in public displays of desperation.


This means that leaders on both sides of the aisle must urgently move
to put the people’s interest in the hands of the people, where it
rightfully belongs. The majority feels perfectly betrayed by a certain
section of the merchant class, predominately those from the Mid-East.
They also feel deceived by political leaders from both the ALP and the
UPP. This situation creates social distrust, civic disharmony, and
divisive politics that knows no end.


The Human Development Report 2000 declares that "..Antigua has the
second highest ranking in terms of GDP per capita (in the OECS); but
appears to have the second highest level of inequality"

The time is most urgent for political leaders on both sides and the
masses to work together towards righting this injustice. It is going
to take strong political will and a fiercely conscious majority
advocacy for the nation to live up to the ideals of widespread
prosperity, and self-determination . Implementing this ideal means
that Antigua and Barbuda government will have to create programmes and
policies in sync with principles and equal oppurtunities, only then
will economic justice be achieved.


Kwame Nkosi Romeo
aka Bombshell