March 1, 2022
There was nothing special to note at the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting. Same old broken record, really- Caribbean Single Market and Economy, Food Security issues, blah, blah, blah. They threw in the obligatory nod to the COVID-19 pandemic and also a glib side remark on the issues in Haiti. If you heard the 32nd meeting, there was no need to come to this 33rd meeting.
With that being said, one issue that is endemic and something our leaders refuse to tackle head on with earnest honesty, is economic empowerment of the poor people with talent. They always seem to miss the regular folks on the ground and deal with their cronies when they have a chance. I guess this is just the way life is. But there must be a time when more hard working people get a break, we have to do that for ourselves.
We believe at Caribbean Magazine Plus that a strong Caribbean is dependent on people that can chart their own destiny. People that can pay their own bills and create their own economic sustainability. But our leaders tend to get in power and forget people need a hand up at times. Quite sad.
Crime too is a bi-product of this systemic blight on these islands. Poor young men with no hope tend to be destructive. This goes beyond providing a few jobs and a couple of dollars for some folks. We have to offer hope and tangible steps to the next opportunity. We just aren’t doing it. We are too consumed with our political theatre and fail to see the beauty of the people around us.
Perhaps this political system is a problem. It engenders too much turmoil and strife, but sad to say it is the best thing we have to work with today. What else are we going to try? Communism? LOL… Even Vladimir Putin knows Communism is a failed idea and said as much himself, even though right now he seems to have lost his mind by invading the Ukraine.
Caribbean Magazine Plus does not have the answers. We’re just typing our type.