A Statesman & A Conman: Is it in Their Training or in Their Nature.

Sir. James F. Mitchelle

There are many people, who subscribed to the opinion which says, if they ignore the talents and or the abilities of other, then that persons talents and or abilities will cease to exist; while there are others who think, in order to be honored, respected and or recognized they must first bring to naught the other person’s integrity and efforts. These thoughts are from the minds of those who are desperately insecure and possess very low self-esteem.

In total contrast, to those mentalities that are outlined above, there are those of us who can appreciate the talent and ability of others, even when such talent and ability eclipses our own. The people that falls in this category; understands, there is always room for another talented person. In the poem strive to be happy, the author said, “If you compare yourself with others, you will become vain and bitter, for always, there will be greater and lesser people than yourself. It is advised that we embraced everyone regardless of their skills, talents and ability; to do otherwise, will give birth to envy and selfishness and we know the end results of such character defects.

A statesman is one who acts with the view of the bigger picture; he or she plans for the productive and general enhancement of the next generation, thus ensuring the next generation is left is left in a better position than the generation of which he or she is a part. On the other hand a con man is one who uses trickery, lies and other deceptive means to serve a selfish purpose.

During the 2010 general election, Sir James F. Mitchell: St. Vincent and the Grenadines elder statesman disclosed he was in negotiation with a foreign business entity and he have sealed a deal to revive the St. Vincent and the Grenadines cocoa industry. Had the New Democratic Party (NDP) win the December 2010 general election, this was to be one of the plans that would have been implemented by the NDP government to inject a financial antibiotic into the St. Vincent and the Grenadines economy. Apart from stimulating the economy; such a project would have lend needed help to a ailing agriculture industry and resurrect a dead cocoa industry. Unfortunately; the general elections did not turn out as Sir. James would have liked it to; but there were still the matter of the revitalization of the cocoa industry; a project that was waiting to be fine tuned and implemented.

It is important that we understand, if this project (like so many other projects) is not implemented in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it will be implemented else where. For these investors, are not willing to wait around or put up with small minds and their petty political games, when there is a profit to be made.

Sir James move, to hold talks with and hand over the cocoa project to the sitting U.L.P government, so the nation and people he spent most of his life serving, can benefit from it, was dignified and patriotic. In doing so, Sir James actually created an avenue, which will do the following:

1. Generate employment

2. Revitalize the dying agriculture sector

3. Resurrect the dead cocoa industry

4. Create an avenue for the generation of immediate and continues economic growth.

5. Created a means to put back some zest into our dwindling export market etc.

What was Sir James to do? I must say by handing over this project to the Government is highly commendable; after all, he invested his time, negotiation skills and of course, his personal resource to see the negotiation to its present stage. Sir James. F Mitchell would have been foolish not to ensure the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines whom he served so graciously, benefit from the fruits of his labor, even while he is retired. To hand over such a project to Ralph E. Gonsalvesl a man who on numerous occasion tried to destroy Sir James good name and character, was a demonstration of class to the highest order.

Do you know it matters not how much you bathe a cat or a dog or how clean those animals are, they will never be comfortably clean unless they lick themselves; if you lock a pig in a palace with streets of gold that beast will always find a way to wallow in mud; even if it has to make that mud itself and it matters not, how extensive the training, you put into modifying the behavior of a viper, it will always find a reason to inject its venom into a pray. In other words; it is futile to expend energy and resources into changing the nature of some things and some people; for they will always be who they are. A person can only pretend for so long but will soon revert to his or her true self.

Last week I saw some recent photographs of some government owned structures in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; what struck me about the photographs was: there was a reoccurring theme in the exhibition. Unfortunately, this theme did not have a positive or patriotic reflection on Ralph E. Gonsalves or his U. L. P Government and it surely did not reflect well on Vincentians. As a matter of fact; what I saw, was a true to life example, of the size of the mental capacity and how unpatriotic Prime Minister: Ralph E. Gonsalves and the Unity Labor Party (U.L.P) Government are.

I saw photographs of what can be considered the remains, the ruins or relics of what was recently built beautiful buildings and magnificent complexes, which was undertaken by the N.D.P Government. These structures were spitefully left unattended so they can fall into severe disrepair. As a result, the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has quite a large number of dilapidated building and other project littering the country. The chief of which, is the Central Bus Terminal, a project that was financed by the Japanese government, which was nicknamed Little Tokyo and is located in the middle of capital: Kingstown.

What can be responsible for such despicable behavior? I will conclude that this was done out of jealousy, spite and an inability to manage the nation resources?

While such projects are left to fall into ruin, Gonsalves and his ULP government embarked on a futile building campaign, constructing building in key areas to ensure they won the general election. I understand that allowing the NDP’s project to fall into ruins will help to erase from the people’s mind the glory days of the Sir James Mitchell lead NDP administration but how does this benefit St. Vincent and the Grenadines and its people?

I am trying to understand how Gonsalves can justify, spending millions of state own dollars in the construction of new building etc. and was unable to invest a faction of the money in the upkeep and repair of key existing structure, leaving such to fall into utter disrepair. Does this make sense to you? All of these buildings and complexes, whether they were constructed by Sir James Fitz-Allan Mitchell, the Honorable Milton Robert Cato, or Ebenezer Theodore Joshua, are all the property of the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and all of them must be treated like property of St. Vincent and the Grenadines regardless if which administration implement and saw them to completion.

Can someone please help me understand the logic in the way in which Ralph E. Gonsalves operates? Is he (Gonsalves) ever going to change his selfish way of operating and began to teach the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines some positive values through his example? I am appalled at this present situation.