Editorial: By faith

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The many things that are not going well in our fair state have given Antiguans and Barbudans much angst and pause. From the new Barbuda airport fiasco, to the roadwork standstills, and the many other stalled projects that all began with so much fanfare, the term ‘groundfaking’ is seeing a resurgence in our daily lexicon. Of course, we could recite a litany of failed and stalled projects – enough to fill the pages of this good paper, but that would be superfluous, and we certainly do not wish to waste the readers’ time. This government is already doing an excellent job of that – wasting the peoples’ time.

Of course, this administration, would vehemently beg to differ. Never mind that when they and their apologists are asked to point to the many wonderful things that are happening in our fair state, they stutter and stammer and rush to their tiresome default position, to wit, “Well, the UPP blah, blah, blah . . .”

Recently, to its credit, the administration has come up with a new explanation for the fakings and the surreal ethos that seems to be enveloping our fair state. And the ethos is real, mind you. It is not a ‘figment of our imagination. The new excuse is that there are a lot of good things happening in our fair state, but much like the wind, they cannot be seen with the naked eye. They must be accepted by faith! Remember, folks, “By faith are ye saved!” Actually, here are a summary of the words from officialdom, and the party faithful are being urged to use it as their talking point to rebut the skeptics: ‘The investments attracted so far are not yet visible.’ Hallelujah! Open our eyes Lord, that we may see! Help us to be counted among those who have not seen, and have yet believed! Good grief!

Well, count us here at NEWSCO among the ever-increasing number of skeptics and unbelievers. Five years after being swept to power on the strength of so many vain and specious promises, and delivering so very little, the administration is asking us to accept its declaration of Antigua and Barbuda as an ‘economic powerhouse’ by faith? Are they kidding? Pass the magnifying glass! We are of little faith! As are many Antiguans who are not feeling any power from the “powerhouse.” People are struggling to make ends meet. Salaries can’t keep up with the rising cost of living. Consumer confidence is low. Industrial action is breaking out everywhere on any given day. Sidewalks, roads, schools [see the State College] are an embarrassment, not to mention a threat to life and limb and a hindrance to learning). Big projects are at a halt. Pessimism and frustration abounds. MP’s are being cautioned to watch their language. People are living hand-to-mouth. Many others, in desperation, are turning to ‘transactional’ relationships to put bread on the table. Indeed, only the few folks aligned to officialdom are doing well (See the mansions, palaces and expensive cars); everybody else is catching hell! 

In the enduring classic, THE WIZARD OF OZ, by L. Frank Baum, Dorothy and her merry band go off in search of the “Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” only to be sorely disappointed when Toto, the dog, pulls back the curtain to reveal that the wonderful wizard is no wizard, but an ordinary man with no extraordinary ability to work wonders. Hmmmm!

 The wonderful Wizard of Oz is working wonders, they are just not visible. (Sigh!) “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” [from THE WIZARD OF OZ], unless you are willing to believe the non-evidence of your own eyes and accept his assurances  . . . er . . . by faith! Increase our faith, dear Lord!

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