SAINT LUCIANS SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT
September 28, 2008
EDWARD HARRIS AT LARGE!
SAINT LUCIANS SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT
St. Lucians recognise the fact that their survival is inextricably linked to the fortunes of the United States of America and are following closely the 2008 Presidential Campaigns. Most St. Lucians are following the Obama campaign and many like myself are taking the blows personally when Obama is placed in the corner. It is an emotional thing.
The Obama button is proudly worn by persons as they go about their daily chores. Some are even making a business out of selling the Obama buttons. Micro and Small business persons are always seeking out opportunities to make a dollar. As a Guyanese, I experienced this at first hand. In the bad old days when many food products were banned, the traders knew what was in scarce supply to invest their limited finances. They were experts at market research and finding the cheapest sources.
The first debate between John Mc Cain and Barack Obama was well rated by the viewers but not well received by the media professionals who only recorded it as a tie as they claimed none of the candidates hit the ball out of the park. The action now moves to the Vice Presidential candidate debate. Many balls are likely to be hit out of the park. That is enough for hard politics but as was said during the debate that foreign policy is linked to economics as money must be found to equip and support the military. A good foreign policy must be backed by military strength.
On the economic front both candidates cannot give any serious commitment on future programmes as the economy will definitely be depressed for sometime. The revenue side of the national budget will be in trouble so the position taken is that there will have to be a hold on spending in areas that are unimportant. It is not going to be easy for the next President and it is for that reason that Obama is good for America and the world at this juncture. We need a breath of fresh air in the white house. It is time to break away from the way business is done in Washington and bring about real change in the status quo. This must not be a cosmetic change, it must be CHANGE THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE USA AND THE WORLD CAN BELIEVE IN! America must be a friendlier country both inside and outside of its borders.
The major financial institutions of the USA are on their knees. Many of us will argue that the Government should not bail them out but there is much more than what we are led to believe. It is the pride of America. The faith in its institutions must always be strong and it is for that reason 700 billion dollars will be ploughed into the failing financial institutions. I don’t believe that the 700 billion is all that is needed. The hole is too deep not to take along many more institutions with the initial ones. So don’t be too optimistic after the deal has been concluded. It is very likely that the corruption and greed that has festered in the USA across the states and particularly on Wall Street will yield more fall outs.
What impact does the financial chaos in the USA have on poor little St. Lucia and the rest of the States that are grouped in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States ( OECS) headquartered in St. Lucia and their currency regulated by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in St. Kitts. Our Eastern Caribbean Dollar is pegged to the US dollar and a weakened US dollar will impact upon the already high cost of doing business and the cost of goods and services in general.
In the Caribbean region, we are in for a rough ride. Already St. Lucia is experiencing problems in the construction of new tourism projects and the possibility exists that government may have to secure loans on behalf of developers as was done with Rochamel which allowed the entrance of the Hyatt Hotel, though short lived. As is being experienced in the USA, in a changing world economic order, governments can no longer stand aside and leave the private sector on its own. We are seeing governments taking action to support airlines and direct interventions in industry, especially the agricultural sector.
Times are changing and from all indications, we are called upon to return to basics. It is very likely that we will see a return of governments investing in capital intensive projects with high export demand and high returns on investment. The Government of St. Lucia is involved in the direct importation of staples such as rice, flour and sugar, and is currently subsidizing cooking gas and fuel for vehicles. With declining revenue on all fronts, the question is – how long can the government continue to maintain the subsidies?
The European Partnership Agreement (EPA) which was pushed aside by a few Governments will be brought to the front burner and we will see some forward movement with the signing of the agreement in a few days. We in the Caribbean region must stretch forth our hands to the rest of the world seeking relations with friendly nations. In recent years the regional tourism organisation continuously promoted the idea of a One Caribbean promotion to attract visitors to the region. I humbly suggest that the programme should include an investment component. There is no better time to promote this programme than now when we are about to enter into an agreement with the European Union. The Caricom nations are victims of putting all their eggs in one basket. It is only a few years ago that tourism officials woke up to the realisation that their Caribbean neighbours provided an active segment of the tourist market. It was the same when the Industrial Development Corporations around the OECS produced their promotional brochure, it targeted US investors.
Let us continue to pray for Change and that the Change Agent will be Obama come November 4, 2008.
Keep the Faith, God is in Charge, Dream Big and Expect Miracles Everyday!!!
Edward Harris
Real Estate CyberSpace Specialist (RECS)
Freelance Journalist, Biblicist, Business & PR Consultant, Realtor, Networker, Private Sector & CSR Advocate, Motivational Speaker
Email: eaharrisdestiny@gmail.com
Website: http://www.stluciasimplybeautiful.com