Dickson C. Igwe. Photo: VINO/File

The USA has not simply moved to the right with the election of Donald Trump and Trump’s victory at the polls, Trump’s win has ushered in an oligarchy of billionaires. The question I ask is what that means for the Caribbean in general, and the Virgin Islands – British- in particular.

First, thanks to Jerome Powell of the Federal Reserve and his management of the Dollar and monetary policy, Donald Trump inherits a strong economy with low inflation metrics. Americans do not feel this in their pockets for some reason, and that is why the Democrats lost the election. Pessimism in the USA is surprising, considering the USA is doing better than its counterparts are. Economically, the USA is at the top economically of the G7 countries according to the numbers.

Trump’s returns is marked with fear among the USA Liberal Elite. The so called WOKE agenda – liberal values that have taken an aggressive edge such as equal rights for homosexuals, abortion, and affirmative action on race, have come up smack against a barrier. Four or more years of aggressive right wing policies means the end for WOKE as we know it. Already, right wing populists and their supporters in the west are sharpening their knives.

The good news for the Virgin Islands is that with the Rule of Strongmen, Oligarchs, and Billionaires, offshore financial services could not be safer. The wealthy are always enthusiastic about hiding their assets from the prying eyes of the taxman. Today the New King of the West is a wheeler Dealer Billionaire Entertainer.

For us Social Democrats who believe in the virtues of social equality, equity, and justice, the world has become a much crueler place.   There is good news for the Dollar and a global economy that is valued in Dollars, however. Trump’s win has seen a jump in price of both the Dollar and Corporations. Billionaires and multimillionaires have seen their net worth rise significantly. The future looks good for the haves as it always has. Have nots can only hope the trickledown economics Trump’s win heralds actually trickles down.

Paradoxically, some of the greatest losers will be minority Trump voters and Latinas who voted Republican. Latinas voted for sending their kith and kin back to misery in Latin America. Black evangelicals voted the man GOD appointed to rule the world; I wait to see how many blacks Trump has in his cabinet.

Arabs in Michigan voted Trump owing to the fairy tale the democrats supported genocide. The real reason was probably a culture that will not accept a woman as President of the USA. Trump will now offer Netanyahu a completely free hand to do what he wants: the Gaza disaster may well get worse with the full annexation of the territory by Israel. Black men voting Trump is equivalent to Jews in the East European Ghetto voting for the local Nazi Concentration Camp Commander. Turkeys do vote for Christmas.

The next four years? One can only hope for the best but I expect the worst.