And she will yet fall...my dear people

I dare make a prediction/prophecy/logical deduction.

Anesia O. Baptiste will yet fall.

Was Baptiste wrong?...yes she was. The regulations exist and she has breached them. This much is true regardless to whether you think the regulations should be done away with or whether she has been handpicked to be the victim of legality.

This has to irk some people...because we have become sopranos with the I-hate-Ralph chorus that anyone and anything that stands against him...we cling to. And the greatest example of that is the NDP.

In their eagerness to display youthful support and rein in as much anti-Constitution Bill 2009 venom, they have latched onto an opportunist...a religious one at that.

Freedom think...my ass.

I warned many around that the girl was just accepting the platform that tolerated her views; but only for the moment in time; that she would soon embark upon her own path of leadership and those that placed her there will be spat upon in the name of her divine yearning for the spotlight. She shut down E G Lynch on his own program.

They blazed the streets of Kingstown a couple Thursdays before and 'rallied' their forces for her. But they reared back at the vision of the tornado that they have been wallowing in for the last several months...they have now seen the Wicked Witch of the West and they are trying to silently retreat. They were shocked by her declarations of divine empowerment, spiritual superiority and feverish energy...it seemed not even human, especially with the pinched face of her husband at her side. They seem now to realise the threat she poses to them as well, the uncontrollable virago.

You see Arnhim and his posse came out to support her but had no idea that the Baptiste would use this as yet another platform to catapult her into the favour of the people. Let us keep it real...most of us observed them with disdain before...with au natural image, the long flowing garb and the intense proclamations of being the true followers of the Sabbath.

She must dispel the disquiet within us and weave us into her victimization story, and before we know it she will be spewing the same filth in the best English and genteel manner as she does the ULP.

Telling us how to dress, when to attend the one and true Church where men are separated from the women, how to maintain a neat, coiffed hairdo with only a touch of Church-sanctioned product....in essence a theocracy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theocracy].

I know it will never happen but it would seem as if she believes she has the ability to succeed in doing so...how many of our youths and disillusioned adults would fall prey to this religion that claims freedom as its mantle yet remains intolerant of all nay-sayers?

Thank you NDP for launching another element into the politically, socially and culturally misfit society we live in - not for the better but a part of one of the worst periods in Vincentian history, my dear people.

How dare you interrupt my delicate senses

1.
Can you hear the clanging cymbals distracting our minds from the polluted lyrics of the sadistic entity called government and the warring faction called the opposition?

Can you hear the echoes of silence on things that matter and the hollow resonance on things that count?

2.
Can you you feel the weight of a palm pressing ever so blatantly against our skulls trying to dull our ears from the truth?

Can you feel the oppression of thought, peace, civility and wisdom?

3.
Can you smell the festering wounds of a lame government who insists on fraternizing with the healthy?

Can you smell the heated metal of opposition weaponry glancing through the air slicing into those same wounds - the wafts of sharpness causing us to rear back in distaste yet peering closer in fascination?

4.
Can you see the leaders, both real and potential, reeling under the sway of the intoxication of a dry robust wine labeled power and staggering from the effects of a citrusy wine called almost power?

Can you see the masses, clawing to be whipped, chained, dragged and branded in their misguided yearning for belonging, favour and acknowledgment?

5.
Have you tasted the bitter residue of an abused nation that deserves better?

Have you tasted the choking smoke of ignorance flavouring our media diets?

6.
I am a woman and I am privileged with the sixth sense of intuition.

Within me, I see us spiraling down...and I can see no one with the ropes, hooks and safety net to catch us much less carry us back up?

Where is the change, what is the difference between yellow and red?

For once, I am deigned to be chaste.

Hesitant in releasing my privilege.

Cautious with my ability to empower someone by gracing them with the honour of my stained index finger.

I want to reclaim my electoral virginity
for I shudder at what I have allowed into my
realm of consciousness.

But I fear political
celibacy is the highest floor to attain for
I have been tainted, sullied and bruised by their whorish acts.

We are falling out of love with this country.

There's a Brown-e boi in the ring

I heard a BROWN-E BOY running for labour pains this round of elections...but I feel he is being hemorrhaged but it don't seem like he realise he getting it good and hard from behind.

What is his work experience? - nil....the boy has been all academics and no practical elbow grinding for the last ten years of his life. He has not cut his teeth on anything to prove capability. I tell you somebody tell that boi he bright....(Yes, I know he brilliant). But there is a difference between feeling you bright (feeling you capable, able and willing beyond realistic notions) and brilliant (the ability to establish goals and pursue them with excellence and wisdom).

And hear the greatest part of the comedy of errors...the part of the joke where you lose the ability to breathe and your stomach feels like it is hitting your spine...he is running against Eustace.

Please tell me BROWN-E BOY knows that he is being made into a scape goat...I secretly think that he pissed off the Comrade and this is the execution of vengeance of the highest sort. I can't swear for the electorate but knock knock...I think he going to lose...and lose bad. And if his speeches of the referendum are any indication...he going to rude during the process.

Why these young people want to be so damn hungry?...eager to join up the ranks of political misnomers...enroll in the academy of deception of the masses and the delivery of mediocre representation.

Now, I am not saying that he should not involve himself if he feels so led to don the colour of blood. But just suppose they make him a senator to sate the bruised ego...he not going to have a ministry because it seems that sunshine will be running through the veins of Vincentians after the next round of the melee called general elections. So he will still be without substantial work experience.

I heard he once declared that he would be the youngest Prime Minister...but he have to fight the Thusian to see who making which record first...she is on lemon roll, with plenty tanginess

And I think the GG was throwing words at BROWN-E BOY when they were swearing in Ces McKie as Senator this week...he called Ces 'young and bright'. He said people who are young and bright feels like the world is theirs for the taking...the sky is the limit. Is BROWN-E BOY he talking bout...I not stupid. And BROWN-E BOY grinning there with Comrade and the Beauty Queen. At least the Beauty Queen smart...she work her ass off (really though she worked it on) and get something on her resume besides the higher education accolades. So when she emerges from the running of the bulls (aka elections) - she could get a wuk back in a lawyer office.

Anyway, on lighter things...I find myself gaining an appreciation for blood (the real stuff now) ever since the movie 300...I am always looking for a show with a "beautiful death"...like the scenes in Starz "Spartacus:Blood and Sand"...I can only say that they are glorious. Not to mention my yearning for HBO's 'True Blood' Season 3 to start...and oh lala...Showtime's "Dexter".
On a serious note...I think my disillusionment with the scarlet hues of our country's governance is leading to a fascination with the shade in the fantasy world...I think I need therapy...Dr.Phil?

Perpetuating the state of stagnation

SVG is not developing at the rate that it should be..reminding me of an autistic child with glimmers of brilliance but the inability to respond to the current environment.

I was having a conversation with a friend today and she began to discuss the changes that would take place in the public sector once NDP wins the next general elections (a fact that she is convinced of). I challenged her on her belief that several well-educated people would be looking for 'wuk' on the occasion of an NDP government. She then proceeded to name and list people from varying government or government-related departments that lost their 'wuk' once ULP came on stream in 2001. Therefore, it is only inevitable that the same cycle must be continued. I asked her about the purported-NDP campaign against political victimisation - she laughed. I guess once the shoe is on the other foot, a different tune is sung.

I was disheartened by the entire thing but I realised that it was an issue that I took into consideration when I returned from university in 2008. I knew that there was a serious possibility of a change in the political directorate between 2010-2011, and to save my mental sanity from wondering the continuation of a public service job/contract in a post-general election environment, I chose the private sector.

I am also guilty of perpetuating the state of stagnation.

The state of stagnation that I speak of is the constant cycle of change that occurs within the public sector. And I am not talking of the change that Heraclitus philosophised about...I think he was thinking of the developmental change signalling growth, blossoming, coming into oneself. Why is it that we have to be constantly maintaining a quick turnover in key positions.

Is it that there is a fear that the policies of a different directorate would be the subject of poor execution? Is this fear legitimate?

Are persons unqualified to continue in their positions...and the persons that replace them more capable to do the tasks?

Or there too many favours to hand out...hands to place in silk gloves once the grease of the campaign has worn off?

A combination of all of the above and more?

It is understandable that once leadership changes, there will be key positions that will have to be revamped so as to ensure that their policies are effected to their satisfaction. Sometimes the direction that the government wishes to pursue may clash with the direction that a key public servant may stand for. But do we have a private sector that can absorb these people? Provide them with working environments that will truly challenge their qualifications and remunerate them accordingly? Like the way Condelezza Rice was able to find a lecturing position at an Ivy Leaguer?

I think not... and the sad part is that persons find themselves unable to provide for their families the lifestyle that they have gotten used to. This creates a battlefield where persons in these key positions find themselves fighting for the government in power because to not do so means not fighting for yourself.

Now, I am not saying that everyone gets kicked out on their asses...I am sure if I talk to enough people I will find people who have functioned at their peaks despite gov't change.

But honestly, what irks me are the people that are graced with authority, position and benefits galore because of their prowess on the campaign trail...and nothing else (this is an entirely different blog).

But the result of all this is a nation that would never go beyond a certain level because of the constant flipping (10 years is not that long in the leadership of a nation). Perpetuating the state of stagnation.

It is like ruining a good steak or a succulent fillet of salmon...leave it...don't poke it...when it is ready to turn it will lift easily and not cling to the grill pan.

But as another friend asked me recently "what would you do as a politician?" And I genuinely could not answer simply because no matter the great ideas that we can boast of...most of us do not have a power hunger to sate

The Education Retardation or Revolution

There are many misconceptions that apply to the Government's policy of revolutionising the education system. Scholarships for students and teachers alike...new school buildings in the exact same colours all over the island...but allow me to pay attention to the 'No child shall be left behind' story.

I am not an educator...I am merely educated and an example of how the grace of God saved me from a system I will never understand.

But it would seem to me that if we are going to be sending every child that writes the Common Entrance exam straight to secondary school...we may as well do away with that process. How about adopting an evaluation-based exam that would assist in determining the reading, math and processing skills of a child? Something that would indicate what areas need to be focused on when that child is automatically placed in a secondary school.

Because, I can assure you that if the system remains the way it was when I was in secondary school (oh lord it is almost 10 years since)...the chances of our nation's children improving basic learning skills and strategies are rather slim. Especially since most of their families cannot afford private schools and after-school tutoring of quality standards.

As I said earlier, I am not certain how I made it through the system but it was not until university that I discovered, on my own, that I was a long-distance runner and not a sprinter like what the system wanted. I preferred to plan(train), write out everything I read (stretch), study(eat healthy nutritious foods) not CRAM (drink loads of coffee and red bull/be tempted to steal notes or a book even/mamaguy your fellow classmates as what topic you swear is coming for the exam/mamaguy yourself into thinking that no sleep is an ok state of existence/come to the exam looking like shit/conduct a postmortem on the paper and cuss out the person you phoned at three in the morning for the notes from Lecture # 5.

When is the new generation going to figure what kind of student they are? Will they ever or will they just hope to beat the system and not even remember what moves they made?

And the other classic feature of the Retardation process...dozens upon dozens of teachers with shit degrees in education...I swear the newspapers made a mint from the congrats to this and that teacher garbed in that horrendous blue robe (I wore it to...so I am damn well entitled to criticise it).

The Government is giving away degree costs and opportunities in a manner that can only be described as atrocious. More money is being spent I swear to buy out the votes of the educators of our country...the cost of teachers therefore increased because they have entered a new salary bracket (which is the reason most of them do the programme anyway) but the quality of education is stagnant. The dichotomy between the improvment on one side and the stillness on the other is petrifying to me.

Where are the specialist teachers...the ones that focus on math...reading...writing...spelling... pronounciation...grammar...general learning skills acquisition. Where are the ones that teach the foreign languges fluently bringing another culture alive...where are the ones that take you on field trips (not because both teacher and student are fed up of the classroom) but the ones that want to instill a sense of national pride and identity in the teaching of our history and social studies.

Rather, we are fostering a people that think it is acceptable to have an empty degree once you are a public servant (because you dare not try that madness in the private sector). If I see another library with ten books and three wooden tables or water tap project in the newspaper again...I will scream.

All these degrees in Education with Administration skills and other inapplicable areas are utter bullocks and blatthery...they make no impression on the system...on the child...they merely drain what we barely have for no return and the sad part is that the creator of the Retardation of the education process and the teachers;
(1) seem not to care
(2) seem to be unaware of the perpuation of ignorance
or my personal conviction
(3) are fervently hoping that no one catches on to the scheme.

Can we break the cycle?

I cannot claim complete originality in this piece although I was arguing the point with someone convinced that the only reason Haiti is so battered by the world and Mother Nature is because vodou is considered a national religion. (Research it...I am not applying a mere stereotypical bias).

http://www.spiceislandertalkshop.com/talkshop/messages/679987.html - Read Sir Hilary
Beckles article "The Hate and the Quake". If this link doesn't work... Google the article, it will pop up.

I can add only this to the thoughts on the issue - The inability of Haiti to assist itself is a reflection of many things....the reasons discussed by Sir Hilary speak for themselves but they do not weigh on my mind as much as the FAILURE of our Caribbean Civilisation to offer any tangible support over the years to a sister country spun from the same threads of slavery, economic dependency, colonialism, and the struggle for idenity as people. Shame on our leaders that would have read of Toussaint and quoted from his root/tree/struggle speech.

The Government gave a scholarship a couple years ago titled the "Toussaint L'Overture award"...what the hell have we done to warrant us...entitle us to use the name of that Revolutionary hero?

Can we give of our material selves...that may be challenging? But where are our voices...opinions and thoughts...

Where were our great orators when there were calls for reparations to be paid to Haiti by France...maybe they were championing the cause of Japan's whaling industry or the Cuban Five.

I am genuinely sympathetic towards Obama and his "Haiti we will not forsake you". He has inherited the culture of oppression of his predecessors and as a man with the blood of Africa running through his veins he has to possibly undertake to conduct himself with the same imperialistic mindset of "aiding with bread and water and medicine while we rape, ravage and exploit what meager resources they have. It cannot be easy to walk along that path in the name of national interest when you are aware prior concerns were based more on fears of Communism and the continuation of black oppression, especially since the Civil Rights movements were up and coming.

David Rudder sang 'Haiti, I'm sorry' over two decades...and we are still waiting to turn our heads and help restore the glory. Rather we are glued to the tube with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Anderson Cooper.

BTW...did anyone think it strange how quickly these people were in Haiti...I think Gupta and Cooper were on the island the same night of the earthquake.

If you experience any of the following sympthoms...

For the people that have tried to put any chemical concoction in their hair or on their body...hopefully they would have read the sheet of paper usually has a paragraph about testing a sample on your forearm so as to ensure that there are no adverse allergic reactions to the product.

The Goebbels of the NDP aka E. G. Lnych thinks that we Vincentians should try out Eustace as a leader since Ralph is running the country to the ground - so say he, our local propaganda god. "Give him a try, nah,...see what he could do".

What the bloody hell, since when is leadership a trial run...the nation a guinea pig or an allergy test? I must have missed the rule that says pathetic comparison is the path to undertake...after all, meritocracy is a waste of time.

When are people going to stop creating tables of contrast and actually state what they are capable of doing for the country? Honestly, I may be naive and I seriously want to be educated on this...but what the hell does Arnhim Eustace do to earn a living? I heard he is a qualified economist and he comes from a strong educational background (J.P. Eustace and all that)...but what can he actually do to improve Saint Vincent and the Grenadines...what does he bring to the table per say?

We all know that half of the lawyers in SVG are wanna be politicians...the social awe and distaste that people hold them in propels them into the arena easily...you know - the Baptiste of Culture, the Phd with the big yellow building (that I think completely breaches building codes), the Friday from Northern Grenadines and of course Big Papa Ralph and most of them hold fast to some political entity.

But, at least we know they could talk...they could represent the interests of the nation on a local, regional and international level...have you really listened to the oratory skills of the PM...like him or not. Arnhim, no disrespect, always sounds as if he is about to lose his voice but I think it is his dentures threatening to fall out.

Let us be frank, Ivan has decent ideas but we are but subject to our fickle human nature - the man speaks like something is not connecting right in his cranium. Nuff said.

And apart from certain uncertain lists of candiates, it seems as if PPM not sure if they will remain a social entity with political interests or a political party with social interests.

And we are left with what...the tiring puppet master with his box of ventriloquist dummies, the balding individual who loves to host his own Parliament with his battalion of Judases-in-waiting, the gaunt two-man side show and the revolutionary gentleman who will introduce dashikis as Parliamentary garb and maybe bring about repatriation.

What a tangled web we weave.

In conclusion, if the redness, itching or swelling continues or grows worse over a period of twenty four hours, please seek immediate medical attention.

NB. THIS PRODUCT IS FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY. DO NOT CONSUME.