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Do you remember when Caribbean governments became hysterical and paranoid about the growing “Black Power Movement”, and the rise of “Black Consciousness” in the region, and begun banning left right and center, Black Power advocates, revolutionaries and radical intellectuals from entering each other’s countries, to prevent the spread of progressive ideas, and revolutionary activity, among the masses of the Caribbean.
Yes, that was three decades ago you may say. But history is history and you cannot change it. Caribbean society has suffered the indignity of banning some of the finest sons and daughters of the progressive movement of the Caribbean working-class and revolutionary intellectuals, who could have played a more significant role in the liberation struggles of the region.
History would never forgive those backward Caribbean leaders who banned Walter Rodney, Cheddi Jagan, George Weeks, Strokely Carmichael or Jim Maloney from entering St. Vincent, Trinidad or Guyana, to spread the message of freedom, justice and liberation to the masses of African people.
Indeed, progress was thwarted this foolish and ill-advised banning of Caribbean citizens. However, within the past five years, all administrations of the English speaking Caribbean territories have removed the entry restrictions for travel of these progressive persons or the ban lifted.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, along with deceased Antiguan political activist Tim Hector and Dominica’s former Primer Minister Rosie Douglas, were also recipients of the travel ban restrictions before coming to power in their respective countries.
However one of the longest bans imposed on a Caribbean national has been the case of Trinidad and Tobago citizen Makandal Daaga (formerly Geddes Granger) political leader of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC).
After more than 30 years, the ban placed by the Department of Homeland Security of the United States on one of the Caribbean’s foremost political activists and cultural icon has been lifted.
Daaga, who led the “1970 revolution” in Trinidad, had been denied entry to the US and several English-speaking Caribbean countries, with the exception of Guyana and Barbados.
A release from NJAC said the US travel restriction placed on Daaga had prevented him from accepting invitations to speak in the US, as well as to receive honorary doctorates from several American Colleges.
NJAC has expressed the belief that the removal of the entry restriction was a significant development as Daaga would now be able to communicate directly with his supporters in the US.
Because of this latest development, Daaga and his wife Leseli were able to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, to witness the marriage of their daughter Dr. Nefertani Daaga to Dr. Nowokere Esemuded. The traditional African ceremony took place in the USA.
Congratulations to Makandal Daaga and Sister Liesli Daaga. Credit must also be given to the struggling brother and sisters of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) for tirelessly promoting Afro-centrism, liberation and African culture in the Caribbean.
The Oxford dictionary defines a patriot to be “a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it.”
How many Vincentians can say that this definition refers to them? Quite few, I imagine. Patriotism is still an alien thing for the vast majority of Vincentian citizens. Patriotism does not put food on my table, my good friend recently told me on the eve of our independence anniversary last year.
Another brethren of mine, residing in New York City, exclaimed a few days ago, - “should I be patriotic and starve in St. Vincent, or should I remain here in Brooklyn, and take care of my family, you tell me honestly?” he bluntly replied to my question on being patriotic and returning to SVG.
Vincentians simply view patriotism as standing and singing the National Anthem as if it is the only song they know. Oh yes, once, twice a year is sufficient reason to be patriotic in St. Vincent and the Grenadines – on National Heroes Day and at Independence Anniversary celebrations.
Ask the average Vincentian, would you take it upon yourself to fight for your country, to defend it against foreign enemies, or hostile states? And you will receive an emphatic NO. “Who me, fight for St. Vincent, you must be crazy”, is an obvious reply.
Patriotism only extends only as far as celebrating Carnival, Nine Mornings, Christmas and supporting Vincy Heat Soccer Team at Arnos Vale. Patriotism is wearing the National Colours on jerseys, flying the flag, or simply stating, I am proud to be a Vincentian when it suits their interest from time to time.
Patriotism and nationalism are not inborn traits of nationals of any country. It must be taught and nurtured at an early stage in life to give meaning and substance to the citizens.
The question is when and how can Vincentians become patriotic.
Please share you thoughts and ideas with us on this topic – What does it take for Vincentians to be patriotic?
We are happy to hear from you!.
By Conley “Chivambo” Rose
Is democracy at the cross-roads in St. Vincent and the Grenadines today? Are questions of press freedom, freedom of expression and democratic liberties in SVG, real or imagined? What is the true state of the media in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in relation to these fundamental issues raised above?
Based on the barrage of attacks and criticisms of the local media – print and electronic of SVG – one would assume that questions of press freedom, freedom of expression and democracy are under serious threat in this state.
Many critics have dismissed the local media as conservative, ineffective, pro-government, and failing in their duty to educate, inform and expose all wrong doings in the country.
Hundreds of Vincentians do not trust the news they read, see or hear every week through the local media, via the newspapers, radio stations and television. That is, citizens of this country have become very skeptical of the information presented to the public, and are asking questions daily. Many have become very confused in their thinking, while others have refused to think, and are just accepting the information as the gospel truth.
Sadly, though, based on the political partisan divisions existing at present, it boils down to which party an individual supports, to either reject or accept the information presented in the media. There is no balance, rationality or objectivity. Whether it is the written or spoken word, fact or fiction, the individual is characterized as a NDP ‘dog’, or an ULP ‘rat’, in local picong terms. The message is, therefore, lost and the messenger is taken to task for daring to express an opinion – on any subject.
Furthermore, the media houses are all placed in a bracket of yellow and red, pro-government and anti-government. Very often you hear the news was heard on NDP-FM Radio Station, or the statement was made on ULP-FM Radio, or I read the article in the ULP-Ragsheet Newspaper. This is ridiculous and counter-productive to the national interest of SVG.
However, the million dollar question is, has the local media sold out to the government of the day due to the amount of advertising dollars the media receives from the ULP administration? Or, conversely, do the media owners and investors, all support the political philosophy, policies, and programmes of the ULP government, and have become very defensive and apologetic within the present circumstances?
Let us, therefore, place the print and electronic media of SVG under the microscope for fair play and analysis:
Newspaper
There are three weekly newspapers published in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They are The News, The Vincentian, and The Searchlight. The weeklies are similar in format, focus, reporting, style, concept and philosophy.
Both the Vincentian and Searchlight newspapers are regarded as conservative and pro-government in outlook and style of operations, with minor variations in columns.
The News newspaper is undoubtedly the most popular and liberal of the weeklies, maybe more controversial and sensational at times, but is regarded as the “people’s paper”, for being more outspoken, hard-hitting, and exposing the ills of the society from time to time, through its editorials and news reporting.
The News newspaper has naturally come in for a lot of criticism from the powers that be, government circles and ULP supporters on a weekly basis because the News has refused to toe the official line of the government on a range of issues. More power to the News!
Radio Stations
The liberalization of the FM Radio Stations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has brought out the negative and positive in radio broadcasting. Of course, we now have more radio stations and greater choices in listening, but do we have more information, education and critical analysis of fundamental matters of state, affecting Vincentians on a day to day basis?
The answer is a resounding no. Although we are presented with a wide variety of musical genres, less local music is played by the radio stations, which is a serious blow and an injustice to local artistes and the music industry of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Do the DJs and Radio Announcers on these FM radio stations have any sense of patriotism, nationalism and consciousness of promoting and developing home-grown music? Do they understand the concept of copyright, royalty and intellectual property rights of musicians and local artistes?
Perhaps the time has come for legislation to be passed in Parliament concerning the amount of local music that must be played on our local radio stations to achieve some sort of parity with the heavy doses of foreign garbage we hear every day. Our artistes and musicians need exposure and maximum promotion locally to make it big internationally and earn a decent living.
In all fairness to some of our local radio stations, they try to present programmes of educational value from time to time, but, so far, they remain inadequate.
The National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC 705) is a government controlled radio station, which is used as a propaganda arm of the ULP administration in combination with the Agency for Public Information (API) – another part of the government’s propaganda machine.
Radio 705 presents more news and information on a daily basis, and a more varied programming, including the BBC News, which is educational and enlightening. This is a positive and a plus for NBC, which incidentally plays a greater portion of local music. Kudos 705.
Cross Country Radio needs a new format and programme content combined with trained and professional radio journalists to have more impact and relevance.
Less Talk – More Music – 100.5 Radio is just what it says – music and radio commercials daily with a Sunday discussion thrown in for good measure.
Breadfruit, Saltfish, Dumplin Nice Radio has earned the sobriquet of NDP-FM radio station due to the sponsorship of the New Times Radio programme, anchored by talk show host Eduardo Lynch and paid for the by the opposition New Democratic Party.
Nice Radio must be congratulated for its coverage of sports in SVG, the playing and promotion of local music, its presentation of regional and international news, information sharing and a variety of music genres. Tip your hat for the undisputed “University of Sports”.
WE-FM Radio is characterized as ULP-FM based on the “Shake UP” programme started by the deceased Glen Jackson, and now hosted by Joseph ‘Burns’ Bonadie and new Press Secretary Hans King.
The perception is that WE-FM radio is pro-government and would not rock the boat even though announcers may question government policies, strategies or modus operandi. In addition, most of the radio commentators, panelists and talk show hosts are basically apologists for the government, sympathizers, or spin doctors of the ULP, who spend every week defending the government from the barrage of attacks generated by the NDP supporters and the anti-government propaganda spewed out every day on Nice Radio.
Hitz FM and SVG-TV appear to be objective and balanced at times in reporting news, but one wonders, on the other hand, if Hitz FM/SVG-TV deliberately promotes the government’s side in particular news broadcasts.
Hot 97.1 is a music station that caters to the young and restless – it has music galore and commercials. This station features the latest music, entertainment news and foreign celebrity profiles. Its format includes brief news and sportscasts.
Hot 97.1 does not pretend to disseminate information of educational value as it concentrates on its objective of being popular among the youths and young adults primarily through its music programming. Anyone can call in and request their favorite tune, once it is not calypso. Too Cool Kris remains very popular with the Morning Show and the DJs of Hot 97.1 keep the station hot all day. It’s a matter of choice.
The idea of a democratic, active and financially independent media in SVG is a novelty. Press freedom and freedom of expression in SVG remains a dream to be fulfilled. What then is the role of the Vincentian media in a developing country? What can journalists do to change this sorry state of affairs and regain the trust and confidence of the Vincentian public?
Press Freedom
A free professional press is the guardian of liberty. Without a free and professional press, democracy cannot flourish in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Increasing public awareness of the importance of a free press can strengthen democracy, bolster freedom and help protect human rights and democratic liberties as a nation state. A free and independent media can be directly linked to less corruption, better economic policies and stronger financial markets as well as greater political rights and more services for citizens.
On the other hand, a docile and controlled press spells doom for democracy and press freedom. Freedom of expression is thus compromised due to the fact that media owners often warn journalists to play it safe. In addition, very often journalists lack training and upward mobility on the job, so there is no motivation or incentive to explore new horizons.
To break the stranglehold on the Vincentian media, issues related to freedom of the press must be tackled in an independent, balanced and unbiased manner, free of political pressure or governmental control.
Already, many journalists work and report under difficult and dangerous circumstances without any real protection. Others are so underpaid, they have to moonlight in jobs that conflict with their reporting and journalistic independence.
Some journalists may enter the profession as a stepping stone to greener pastures, just awaiting a scholarship, or an opportunity to better themselves overseas. Remember that journalists are not always allowed to report on what they know, or find out through investigation. Sometimes by doing one’s job as a reporter one finds oneself in grave danger – threats, harassment, intimidation, court fines, jail and even death.
It is the duty and responsibility of each media house and every single journalist of SVG to read, study and learn how to apply the international fundamentals of freedom of expression, examine press freedom topics (such as licensing of journalists in some countries of the world, manipulation of the media by the state, terror tactics and intimidation by the ruling class in oppressive states, and obtain access to information internationally to learn the basics of journalism and help to strengthen their knowledge and skills on the role and functions of journalists and the media in protecting press freedom and democracy.
Media Ethics
There should be zero tolerance for unethical standards of behaviour in the media – at all costs. It is the duty and responsibility of each media house to strictly adhere to the international standards of media ethics and codes of conduct for journalists and media practitioners in every regard.
Journalists must be able to identify common threads of professional behaviour, stimulate on going dialogue about independence in journalism, collectively discuss principles of conduct and encourage journalists to reflect on their own personal code of ethics and continue discussions about ethics, morals and values within their respective media houses.
There is simply no reason for complacency. Journalists must utilize a range of different mechanisms to share information, promote solidarity and more so, stimulate critical thinking about ethical dilemmas and plan appropriate responses to attacks on the media. The objective of such an exercise is to emphasize the independence of journalism as a requisite for ethical behaviour and public credibility of journalists; to foster fairness and accuracy in news coverage and identify conflicts of interest in the media; to examine the stimulants and antidotes to journalistic corruption and discuss ways of dealing with threats and violence to journalists, censorship and self-censorship of the media in SVG.
SVG Media Workers Association
Journalists and media workers of SVG are asked to “take up thy bed and walk”, an old biblical phrase that is quite applicable to the SVG Media Workers Association (SVG-MWA). The paralysis that exists among the media is simply pathetic. Not a single journalist of this nation would underestimate the importance and significance of reviving the dormant Media Workers association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Media practitioners all agree that mediocrity and unprofessionalism are not to be tolerated in media work in this country. Hence, there is an urgent need for every single journalist and media worker of SVG to demonstrate maturity and responsibility and rise above the pettiness, gossip and pull down mentality characteristic of Vincentian society by reviving the professional body to represent the interests and aspirations of every journalist in this tiny island state.
No journalist or media worker is too big to become a functioning member of the Media Workers Association. To neglect this sacred duty to the cause of journalism is an injustice to the noble profession of journalism, which has as its main purpose to provide citizens with the information they need to be free and self governing.
Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth; its first loyalty is to the citizens of this beautiful country, not the government or the opposition parties.
The growth and development of an individual rest with his mind and mental maturity. Consequently, each journalist must be allowed to exercise his/her personal conscience. The challenges before us as Vincentian media workers are daunting, but not insurmountable. We can make it if we try.
Journalism provides something unique to a culture – independent, reliable, accurate and comprehensive information that citizens require to be free. A journalism that is asked to provide something other than that, subverts the democratic culture. This is what happens when governments control the news. There is a lack of clarity on the role and functions of the media among the citizens and journalists alike, which has weakened journalism and is now weakening democratic society as a whole.
Unless we can grasp and reclaim the theory of a free press, journalists risk allowing their profession to disappear. In that sense the crisis of our culture and our journalism is a crisis of conviction.
It is the duty of the press to set out its own parameters for functioning as independent, effective and constructive organizations. There is urgent need for critical scientific analyses of the role and functions of journalists and the media in a developing democracy.
Journalists must recognize the need for continuous education, which is a necessity as well as the importance of reading and absorbing information, research and investigative analyses.
Journalists must fight relentlessly against all efforts to censor, control and manipulate the media. The role of the press is to mould public opinion in a proactive way. The press must never surrender its obligations.
A culture of silence gives tacit support to the government and the enemies of democracy. We cannot abdicate our responsibility to this beloved country. Journalism is bigger than any journalist or media worker of SVG. We must rid ourselves of inflated and traumatized egos and show solidarity with fellow journalists.
The time for action is now!
There is no room for procrastination. Organise or perish!
Dear Friends and visitors from around the globe …
On behalf of Small Money Publishing (SMP) of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, i wish to welcome you to our web site and blog ….
We are very pleased and gratified that u have coem to visit our site/blog, to exchange ideas, share information, and contribute towards the ongoing discussions posted here, from time to time. Thanks for sharing our dream and making the discussions a reality.
It is the opinion and conviction of Small Money Publishing House that every individual who has something to say or write should be given the opportunity to do so. SMP’s blog is the ideal channel for the expression of views, opinions, ideas, analysis and thuoghts of the free mind.
Use your opportunities wisely!
The main purpose of the blog is to stimulate thoughts, build the intellectual capacity of individuals, educate, inform, and provide the moral, spiritual, cultural and rounded development of individuals in all aspects of life.
The aims and objectives of SMP in this regard is as follows:-
(a) SMP’s Blog would endeavor to be constructive, practical and realistic with all topics of any discipline.
(b) SMP does not discriminate nor encourage racism, immorality nor distructive ideas on the blog.
(c) Everyone is FREE to unite and share their views, but with a high sense of maturity and responsibility, decency and respect for the opinions of others
(d) The objective of SMP’s blog is to contribute towards the development of the whole man through the interaction of human civilization.
Greetings SVG .. and all our visitors from around the globe …. I would really try and write first thing in the mornings but today started out hectic … with a few early morning meetings to attend … all in the process of getting SMP where it should be …
As i walked through the streets of Kingstown this morning, all appeared to be normal, for a Friday that is, the streets were filled with buyers out in their colours and numbers, and vendors anxiously displaying their goods in whatever way possible, trying to catch as many sales as possible in the hustle and bustle.
As would happen on most occasions, walking through the streets of the capital city of SVG, people of different caliber would stop and comment on “Flair”, SMP’s first publication, which was launched in September 2004 at Heritage Square. Some would ask when is the publication due again … how they are excited and cannot wait to read Flair again …
Today was a bit more interesting … i was stopped by a well known journalist who i know very well, we started talking on different issues about life in general which lead to a discussion on the economic suitation in the country. It was agreed that things are generally getting harder everyday.
This conversation lead to using different island and countries as examples of some of the methods used to develop and strengthen their economies, which lead to the issue of “marijuana” and the impacts it has on our very own island state.
I will start a discussion on “the decriminalization of marijuana” very soon, i know lots of you will have different views on this topic, good. make sure to have them ready when we start … we will be looking forward to your input.
Bless de I dem ….