Alred C. Frett. Photo: VINO/File

There’s no doubt that 2020, has become a most difficult time for Peoples of the World and VI… Whether it’s Corona Virus or Sahara Dust, our Medical, Social, Educational and Financial Wellbeing have been placed in jeopardy and all left is our Political Potential and Hope that the latter part of the year will change for the better… No wonder, prayers for our Country has become a National Cry.

Unfortunately, we still take too much for granted; we lose touch with reality and blindly follow others rather than reason for ourselves… Just last week Saturday, June 20, 2020, I went to join a March that promised Equality and the eradication of Racism but I could not join because the Organisers’ acceptance of existing Flags of Slavery, suggested the Marchers didn’t know or care about the real Issues.

Closing our eyes will never make the Evil beneath our noses disappear - It will merely stifle opinions and awareness, thereby rendering such parades and other noble objectives, no more than futile exercises… Our defense for Freedom of Expression must be greater than the transient of going along with wrongs just to get along or this would make us no more than pebbles on a beach.

Standing Still will never help us climb the Hill:

Of course, many still regard Racism and White Supremacy as Birthrights never to be relinquished… Just recently three white veteran Police Officers in North Carolina were caught openly feeding a racism that encourages New Race Riots that would give them the excuse and opportunity to kill out all black people - Bear in mind that these are the same persons in whom we are taught to trust.

However, international support for Black Lives Matter is proof that universal Inequality is no secret so when I speak of Racist Flags and State-sponsored oppression it is fully understood from BVI to England, France, China, America, Denmark and everywhere… Some UK and US Companies and Churches are finally acknowledging the roles they played in Slavery and are offering compensation.

This is welcomed but for some it is already too late as Blacks face disproportionate percentages of Illness and Deaths from COVID-19… This is primarily due to Social Inequalities resulting from long-standing Systemic Racism for whenever Medical Care is placed beyond the reach of the less fortunate, the end result is death… This is Trump’s objective in trying to destroy ObamaCare.

I’m simply saying what you should be knowing:

Once Trump succeeds Millions of Blacks can be killed without firing a Shot… Americans will eventually recognise his motive but I am more concerned that local Leaders may be doing that to us without realising it… Thus, for months I warned of a proposed BVI Medical Law that focuses more on Money, Penalties and Foreign Influence rather than on the Health and Wellbeing of Virgin Islanders.

Unfortunately, the Opposition and Back Benchers appear unable or unwilling to properly assess and debate this Bill on behalf of the People… This can even worsen if some of us within the Private Sector allow greed and instant gratification to cloud our better judgement as we focus more on short-term personal gain rather than the long-term interests of the General Public and Virgin Islanders.

While we understand that all New Governments try to empress by seeing how many old Rules they can break and new Laws they can make; it is always a mistake for those on the inside to dictate to those outside – Most times it is wiser to stop the digging the Holes we are in and ask for help; and while these words may seem rough in trying times they are true and deaf ears will not change facts.

However, Laws are designed to outlive their makers and impact future generations so we should be concerned about subliminal contents whereby such Laws open doors for special interests and non-locals while handicapping and destroying Virgin Islanders… Ironically, this New Law could further limit access to Health Care by targeting the same NHI Providers whom they still owed for 6-months.

This is not about you or me – This is about the Next Generations:

We have walked this Road before and you may recall me cautioning of the potential harm to our Children from the previous Government’s Education System – These Kids are still suffering from that exercise; now worsened by COVID-19… Government’s Health System is headed in that same direction and could encourage External Influences, Political Bribery and Public Service Corruption.

Before trapping our People in another Medical nightmare, we should take a closer look at the Newly Emerging Work Place that will be forever changed by COVID-19… We should consider the financial strain on ordinary People; the increasing Costs, the impending shortages of Medical Supplies, the record number of Medical Facilities being closed and the increasing Work from Home Businesses.

If we are so keen on following the Footprints of America, we should note their confusion at how to sustain the reopening of their Work Force in the face of a likely 2^nd wave of the Virus… We should also note the inevitable plunge of their Stock Market, how Mega Companies like Microsoft and Apple are closing Stores and how Facebook, Google and others are replacing Degrees with Skills.

The Die has been cast and there’s no turning back or playing Tomorrow’s game with Yesterday’s plans… Home Schooling is fast becoming the Norm as College Campuses are emptied by Long Distance Learning; Telemedicine Services are already in progress and Supervisors and Managers will soon become Dinosaurs of the COVID-19 Social Order… This movement is real and unstoppable.

We either learn or burn; prepare or perish and even Trump realises that so he was forced to sign an Executive Order giving priority to Job Applicant’s Skills over College Degrees… While this does not rule out Colleges providing us with practical expertise; Driverless Cars, Internet Shopping, Robotics and Virtual Services have arrived and now is not the time to handicap our People.

PS: I will continue addressing some of your Questions & Comments on Live BVP Radio Programmes