No Gloom and Doom II

Details

Ian 'Magic' Hughes

Friday, 24 September 2010 06:55

Ian Magic Hughes

No. I am not living in a wonderland filled with a fat wad of cash and oblivious to the challenges of Antigua & Barbuda. Yesterday, I outlined what I think can be accomplished if we as a nation pull together, determined for a better future.

No one in his right mind could expect that I have all the answers to the way forward.

I hope though that those who have been quietly optimistic about the nation’s future will recognise that they are not alone, and together we can make a huge difference.

Everyone who has an idea of the solutions needed for our problems should say something. I challenge all of you who read Caribarena.com to comment.

Let’s start the process of healing right now, today, and prepare for that better day most of us talk of. It’s my view that in order to get to that place I speak of, we must first take a serious look at the system of government.

One of the main reasons for changing the system is the fact that it presently does not require elected officials to be accountable. We cannot move ahead without that crucial element intact.

Antigua & Barbuda is not the only country in the world where elected officials are accused of corruption. Actually, it’s the norm that elected officials the world over become involved in some type of corruption talk or scam. The difference in Antigua & Barbuda, it seems, is that our elected officials have an electric fence protecting them from prosecution.

Just imagine upholding a system in which an elected official exposed during a commission of inquiry to be an accomplice in shipping arms to South Africa and Columbia is slapped on the wrist. That should never be a part of our future.

Elected officials in Antigua are able to file loads of petitions in court to stop people from tracing money that was taken out of the Treasury. Going forward, this has to be an impossible feat.
For a bright future, we must make sure that the impossible cannot be possible, contrary to what some of our elected officials have demonstrated.

Elected officials should not be allowed to form aggregate companies and take the resources of the people for personal gain. Any system that protects such actions has to be thrown out the door immediately.

No elected official should be allowed to build his own home, then rent that said house as his "government residence". Those are not best practices. I hope there is enough "fire in my belly" to ignite the same fire in those of you are so quick to comment on the way forward.

If that fire is lit, hey, let’s get to work and implement those practices necessary for proper accountability and transparency. Never again should we return to a system where elected officials are able to delay the opening of a media house to limit freedom of speech.

Once the accountability issue is sorted out, then the government can go ahead and implement its tax policies. We should all pay our taxes. At the same time, the government has to ensure that our tax dollars are properly accounted for.

In that way, we will be able to redeem the profits, not in cash, but rather in the programmes necessary for sustained living. If citizens contribute little or nothing in taxes to the development of the nation, they can only request little or nothing of the elected officials.

It reminds me of the way it used to be, especially with the absence of free press. Today, the changes cannot and should not come only through more taxes, but rather with renewed vigour in accountability as well.

IMF Completes First Post-Program Monitoring for Antigua Antigua St. John's - On April 21, 2014, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the first Post Program Monitoring discu... read more

This can only be accomplished if most of us buy into this new system, which will obviously have positive effects on other areas of development. Education must play a key role in any prosperous future for the nation. Presently, millions of taxpayers’ dollars are spent in scholarships to allow young aspiring nationals to leave the country and go to universities overseas.

With no real plan to accept these young people after they graduate, it does more harm in my view than good. The reason to send the youth to be educated must be for them to return and help in the continued development of the country. Anything else is basically contributing to the "brain drain".

The way forward must have the University of Antigua & Barbuda not as a talking point, but a real undertaking. There has to be more focus on educating the youth at the primary and preschool levels, with emphasis on evaluation and research.

More technical schools have to be established so that those who are not so inclined with the book can also make a conscious contribution to development. Teachers, nurses, the police, and other essential services must be paid closer attention, with increased remuneration for improved service.

I have often heard it said that the government sector is too big, but there is so much to do that is not being done. The public sector has to be productive. A lot that has to be done will depend on proper fiscal policies.

And yes, the political divide, that’s personal. Each one has to decide whether s/he will continue to allow politicians to influence his/her obligation to work toward the development of the nation.
There are those who believe that Antigua & Barbuda was willed to them; they have some kind of entitlement.

And with that belief, these extremely selfish individuals will stop at nothing to impede the development of Antigua & Barbuda. To go forward, we cannot be drawn into that game, which has been played out for too long.

Work and not talk is what will make this nation great and prosperous. Think about this. What would your answer be when your children ask, “Mommy, Daddy, what did you do to improve life in Antigua & Barbuda?”

Surely to suggest that “I supported this party as opposed to that party” would be the worst answer, so please do not fall in that trap. Interestingly, those whom you support remind us every day that this country is nothing without them.


In essence, you do not matter, and we all know that that’s an old trick that has been once again used too long. All will not be achieved overnight, but let’s start.

I’m willing to bet that if we take these proposals seriously, along with those positive suggestions that you have as well, we will see that bright future.

It would definitely not hurt to try.

 

See related stories:

No More Gloom and Doom

• < Prev
• Next >