Dear Source:
If you or I ever a take a minute and rewind the historical tape in our mind and revisit the shared history of the framing of America’s Constitution it could shock some of us into reality. Oftentimes we look to the mainland (US) as a shining example of how to convey and conduct our affairs. Let us take for example education. We are setting our standards based on the guideline established by America. Do you know that only “1 of 2 students graduate from U.S. schools according to the EPE Research Center and the American Promise Alliance? Where else in the known world would any group want to affiliate with such disparaging numbers? If you couldn’t guess, let me help. The great United States Virgin Islands. Every department that suppose to work on behalf of the people is in trouble. To further support my premise lets us look at some more research data. The following are the graduation rates of cites: 34% Baltimore, 40% Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio, Detroit 25%, New York City 45% Los Angeles 45%. Now fast forward this prognosis to the delegate the system and apply the same research; could we be following a trend that will lead to our demise? I am a firm believer in Doing For Self. With the information that I provided should we look only to ourselves and apply the method that would apply for us exclusively? During the initial formation of America individuals were killed during the formative years of this country and it culminated to an Uncivil War! In Lithonia, Georgia two months ago the Mayor was assaulted by the police shortly after the city council overturned her firing of the Police Commissioner, per her report. Throughout the Caribbean many of our sister nations are struggling internally over various issues unfair market prices for commodities, cooperate take over of smaller industry, China is becoming a major player in and around St. Kitts/Nevis not the betterment of the people but the resources that they currently posses and as soon as their natural resource is destroyed and unable to profit China they will abandon the people and scavenge for resources else where.
The Delegate System might culminate to blood being spilt in the streets. The USVI has had a calming spirit over her since become a Territory of the US and even though most people shutter at the thought of this level of struggle it is not impossible. Bob Marley wrote a song called So Much Trouble and the second line of the song says, “The way earthly things are going anything can happen”. Are we heading to those limits? Because many of our elders did not do the necessary groundwork in establishing our constitution this generation is going to have to take on this difficult dilemma. Unholy alliances will be constructed, neighbors will become enemies, our economy will be impacted, and our taxes could increase. Let us work diligently, with determination and focus on preventing what could culminate to severe relationships for generations to come.
Clarence Payne
VI to the Bone
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