Alred C. Frett. Photo: VINO/File

It’s almost amusing to hear Governments claim to be working for us, when we consider the ways they show it... Road Town is the Commercial Centre, we have more Cars than People, but Festival Ground is blocked off from parking, while Politicians and Civil Servants take away Sidewalks to create their own Private Parking… Thus, our Roads become Garages and Parking Lots, as a detriment to the People.

As soon as we become Senior Civil Servants and Politicians, we outgrow our own importance and see it as normal to abuse and scavenge off the Public... However, before getting too pompous in our spot at the top, it may be wise to realise that in the Food Chain, Sharks also eat Sharks, and by removing the Ladder to prevent others from reaching our level, we create a deadly precipice as our way back down.

Industrialists will regard us as being lazy and foolish because, with so much still to be done, we focus on Holidays that have nothing to show other than Empty Purses and wasted Opportunities… Children and Slackers will always welcome Holidays, but Employers regard them as Coffin Makers, and Employees may think they are wonderful until the Business fails and they find themselves without a Job or Income.

In this Scheme, Businesses are obliged to pay out more than double the norm for achieving less than nothing, so this automatically guarantees a no-win Experiment, that can only be classified as Stupidity... This takes us back to the dark days and reminds me of my proposed “Heroes & Labour Day” Motion, that would solve these problems from every angle and result in benefits for both our Country and People.

Sometimes we can see these accidents coming, and we hope that by blinking they would disappear; instead, that only makes bad matters worse… When I spoke of the emerging trend where Non-Nationals were systematically disrespecting and replacing Nationals, I cautioned that it could eventually happen to us in the VI… Unfortunately, I was proven right, and the events I am outlining are factual and realistic.

Who said that the Struggle was Over?

Our only National Hero’s Park is named after ‘Noel Lloyd and his Positive Action Movement, because according to History, the Governor and Government were allowing Foreign Divestors to invade and recolonise Road Town and Anegada, but their scheme of Oppression and Regression was prevented by Noel and Crew... However, the underlying intent is very much alive, and I saw the proof of that this week.

While Noel’s Park never received the dignity it deserves, it is accepted as an open arena where Folks can relax and have Lunch, typically between 12pm to 2pm... On Thursday, this custom was interrupted by a group of uniformed men equipped with Grass Cutters and Dirt Blowers... They proceeded to operate these at that time, and the effects were so wrong that I approached one of the men nearest me.

When I asked who was in charge so I could speak with them, he told me that it was a ‘White Man’ who had given them the Job, but he evidently wasn’t present… I further asked if he realised that this was during Lunch Time and he would be polluting Person’s food, or whether his Boss had instructed them to work at this specific time… He said that their Lunch Break was 12 - 1pm so they were resuming work.

Having said that, they simply continued, and the result was that Persons had to avoid the dirt and debris by moving from Bench to Bench, or abandoning the Park... They only stopped their activity after 2pm... It is unclear whether this behavior was habitual, deliberate, or because of my presence, but it is disturbing that the ‘White Man’ was presented as their figure of authority, and none of them were local.

We should be very concerned if our Government is unwilling and unable to find BV-Islanders to maintain our National Interests, and maybe I should explain how come I am there at Lunch Time on Thursdays… Some of you may recall that after Hurricane Irma, our Territory was in a state of Shock and Despondency, with many being Homeless, Hopeless, Ready to give up, and those who could, were leaving the Island.

I wrote to the Police Commissioner and explained my belief that playing in the Park during this crucial time, could bring back a sense of normalcy to the Territory, and unless he opposed it, I would do so…  He did not oppose it, and since then I have been doing so… Today, most of us have forgotten those terrible days, and we are back to refocusing our efforts on chasing after the God Almighty Dollar.

Maybe that’s why I have been doing these Gigs alone, since the Folks who approach me with offers to help, always seem to enquire about how much they will be paid… They can’t believe that anyone will do this for Free when they can be using that same time to make Money… I neither blame nor criticise their reasoning, but while I own no Parks, the VI is still my home, so giving of my time is no Problem to me.

Living for Free or Paying the Piper:

Meanwhile, we face other serious Challenges, including rumours that BVIHSA and Government are not paying their Bills, and the Suppliers may disconnect their Power and Water... We hope this is untrue because the Public need these Services, and they shouldn’t have to suffer for the Inefficiencies and mistakes of Government… Unfortunately, they do, for that’s the way the Cookie has always crumbled.

By being forced to sustain both the Government and the Suppliers, our Utility Bills have skyrocketed, which makes it ironic when the same Governments and Utility Companies treat us as if we are the Beggars or Criminals... Furthermore, these problems can be directly traced to the bad Management and Policies of the same Persons who insist on interfering and telling us how best to run our Companies.

They ignore the basic lesson, that the more Persons employed to turn the same Screw, the less likely it is for the job to be done... You may recall me speaking of their habit of stealing our Workers by offering them more money for less work; as a result, they overstaff themselves, underperform for the Public, and still complain of needing more and more staff… It should be no mystery if they are unable to pay their bills.

Unfortunately, it is the Poor who are forced to pay for these Failures, and the Services are not only bad, but they are placed so inconveniently, that it takes several days to complete a half-hour transaction… For Example, a Little Old Lady, with no private transportation, may start off her errand in the middle of Town, then she must go to Slaney for Part 2, across to Fish Bay for Part 3, and back to Town for Part 4.

By time it’s finished, she is broke, dead, or the usefulness of her Process has expired… This trend also affects Businesses when dealing with Ports and Customs, where simple transactions that can be done at one stop in Road Town, are forced to require several unnecessary Trips to Beef Island... Whether it is the Governor, Civil Servants or Government to be blamed, the Public Services are generally atrocious.

Until and unless the outstanding problems are solved, there will only be a bigger pile with each addition, and by us accepting excuses, we will never be able to dig ourselves out from under... Older folks may have reached the stage of tolerance, but the Youth may never get that chance, and it could be worse if they are conditioned to accept the limitations of Society’s Inefficiencies, as their Perception of Freedom.

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