It cannot be doubted that as we approached the two – years milestone of the current Government in power – many people had their say about how those in control performed in that time. Some Ministers also publicly expressed their opinions on the performance, and or the achievements, as they saw them. But at the end of the day - it is not what was said by whom in public or privately, but what in fact and in reality did take place, or does exist and in the pipeline to come on stream in the months or years ahead. People can say all sorts – whether by way of criticisms, or promises to do all things they should have done but failed to do – but at the end of the day in all walks of life, it is not what we say or promise, but what was done or achieved during that day. So that, for example, when I read a statement by a Minister who said that the Government had done an excellent job in the past two years despite the difficult times – I had to stop a while and think back whether he was referring to the same Tri-Island State we both had lived in for those two years. Unlike the three Ministers I listened to on T/V, who were saying the opposite – in that it was a learning period of finding one’s way in trying circumstances, but there was a lot left to be done in the times ahead. The way I see things happening, and the remarks and statements coming from those with authority, and the responsibility to do certain things on behalf of the people they represent – it all looks to me like we have gone beyond the double standards, where any thing and everything are acceptable depending on who is doing what. I am sounding the warning to the controllers and decision-makers, that we are heading for an explosion because the faith of the people is running out. What we need at this critical point in our history, is to declare a set of principles and sincerely live by them. Too many of the same, or very similar set of wrong-doings, or highly suspicious set of circumstances – are cropping up and taking place, just as the ones that were criticised and condemned, and the prepetrators tried and convicted in the run shop Courts by all and sundry. Mr. P.M. you have got to take a stand and insist on it – or forfeit your credibility by default. And make no mistake about it, or in anyway minimise the importance of your position, nor the reliance the people place on your standards for fair play and integrity in public office. Many strange things are alleged to be happening – and in some instances evidence to support some of the happenings are visible and or available, while in others it is merely speculation, or in some it is a case of conclusions drawn from association. But public affairs, and the people’s business as such, are areas where everything should always be above reproach and be able to stand up to public scrutiny at all times. And make no mistake about the existing situation, and how it is seen and will be judged by John Public – whenever the slightest movement from the straight and narrow is detected, or even suspected. And in these gru-gru days, where the majority of our people “ketching hell”, and going through all kinds of ups and downs and sideways to try and make ends meet – once any kind of rumour hits the streets, or the many types of airwaves worldwide, all hell will break loose. And in some cases recently who can blame them? Take for example, the low cost housing scheme being built by some Chinese Construction Company, and provided by China to the Government of Grenada. I do not know whose officials were in control at the time the scheme was agreed upon – the NNP or the NDC government; but quite recently I heard the news that the workers from China were in Grenada and about to start work. Then to my amazement, and am sure to many others beside me, I heard the Junior Minister in the Housing Ministry complaining last week sometime, that the houses in the site at Mt. Gay I think he said – were so small and conjested that no Grenadian family could live comfortably in them. And some partly constructed buildings were shown on t/v as having already been built, not pictures of proposed plans of what have to come. Many who heard the news and saw the buildings on T/V, stopped me to enquire whether it was as reported – and how could those concerned have sat in their offices and not inspected the plans before construction began; and worse yet – why did they wait that long before actually going to the site to see first hand what was going on? I was as confused as the enquirers, and said so. I had mentioned, over the past two or three weeks, some behind the scene activities between the Government and the Lewis Hamilton family Company – pertaining to the Grand Anse Beach lands of 20.5 Acres, which were purportedly sold to the said Company for $15 Million U.S. – but no money was paid to Government. That deal took place between the NNP Government and the Company, and the Conveyance was actually signed by the then Governor General the day before the last General Elections – that was the 7th July, 2008. Those behind the scene activities have developed even further and now much fuller details have been published on the Internet as breaking news; so that anyone can go on the site and get a copy of the Registered Conveyance for Fifteen Million dollars U.S. but the only stamps thereon are two 75 cents E.C.C. The writer of the commentaries had done his/her homework and put together many details, and ended by asking some very searching questions directed to the Company and to the Current Government in office. Some of the details in that publication are shocking, and if we were not talking about our Grenada – I would have ventured to say un-believable. But my experiences over the last thirty-seven odd years, have more than convinced me – that in this two by two little dot of an Island in the Caribbean Basin, just about anything goes or can be achieved – whether it is good, bad, or indifferent. And as the Controllers of the Ship of State embark on the journey for year three, a close associate of one of the ship’s crew has even informed me, that the said crew-member also hinted that the possibility exists – that the Government, and the Hamilton Company now under new Legal representation, may well acquire the Leasehold of the Buildings on the Grand Anse property and run the new Hotel Jointly. So it looks as though the same Crew of the Ship of State – who have informed Zublin Grenada Limited, that the Government is not yet ready to give the go-ahead to the Renaissance Hotel Project, with the Casino as an integral part thereof – that crew may very well be protecting its joint interest in the proposed new Hotel venture. Lord in your mercy, please come to the assistance of our people. We always need prayers I know – but I think we in these Isles need them now more than ever before. And it isn’t that those in authority, who have charge and are in control of the ship of state – do not know, and understand, and appreciate where we come from, how we got where we are to-day, and why it is so important to extricate ourselves from the shackles or squandermania, bubulism, communism disguised as socialism and people’s power, and all the evils so closely associated with the denials of people’s rights and freedoms, under the guise of securing the state. Because of their in-depths knowledge and personal experiences along the way, to where they are firmly implanted to-day to be able to take the necessary steps to make a difference – history will not excuse nor forgive them, should they fail to being about the change they sincerely promised, and the voters relied upon two years ago. The NDC had its convention last Sunday, and this was followed by a Rally at which the Leader of the Opposition in St. Lucia – Dr. Kenny Anthony – was due to address the gathering. The Convention was for the Party’s in-house business to elect their officers for the next year or so; and the Rally, as Rallies go, was more of a celebration with music and ole talk, and the usual nice-sounding phrases from the guest speaker about the party in power. But I think the P.M., with his slate of officers duly elected behind him – he should be addressing the nation very urgently, to inform the people about what is really going on about the Grand Beach property, what are the facts and what is the fiction, and how the Government truly plans to deal with the matter in the months ahead. The property belongs to the people of Grenada, and while it is regrettable that the NNP lot entered a rotten deal with the Hamilton Company to deprive the people of their heritage- the object of the vote for change two years ago to remove the wrong-doers, was to correct their wrong doing not entrench it. The next year is not going to be easy by any means, and some of the un-easiness cannot be avoided because they are beyond the Government control. But this Grand Beach lands fiasco is squarely on the controllers plate and must be addressed frankly – or stand the consequences. By Lloyd Noel Inside Grenada News