Dear Editor, I trust that this New Year has meet all our Caribbean people with renewed vigor to move us forward into the still fresh millennium that seems daily to be throwing up more and more challenges for Small Island States as we ALL are in the Caribbean. This said I will now turn my focus as usual on Grenada and the present situation that exists. Informed sources have hinted to me that there is a planned move by the Labour movement in Grenada to seek salary increases for workers in both the Public and Private Sectors. Now if this ‘hint’ turns out to be ‘fact’ then I know we have a very big problem on our hands. Yes times are hard in Grenada and we all know this. Yes the working conditions under which our people live, work and study are difficult and we all know this. What we also know is that Grenada has been promised millions of dollars in aid from various sources and much of this is yet to materialize. This put together with the damage already caused to our Economy by the twin disasters of Ivan and Idiots (Looters to some, idiots to me) and a VERY rainy dry season for people who don’t have proper roofs makes for a serious situation indeed. How can these ‘Labour Unions’ even consider the idea of asking for a rise in salary at a time like this when much of the Public Service is being paid by CARICOM governments? How can some be so greedy and dishonest to their nation as to put the thoughts in the minds of the common man on the street that ‘Grenada has received millions of dollars so we want we share’? Maybe the union leader who has the million dollar property would be willing to sell his property and distribute the monies to the poor and needy among his Union whose dues are used to furnish his lavish lifestyle and Caribbean Jet setting ways? Gone are the days it seems when men of integrity who truly believed in what is right became union leaders. Now it seems as though it’s a matter of just how much money one can make as a union leader and not how much good one can do. I am yet to hear of any significant contribution made to the development of Grenada and the rebuilding process after Hurricane Ivan by these ‘Trade Unions’ even with the millions that have been gleaned from the salaries of many of the persons who are still sleeping under torn tarpaulins. Instead we hear of plans political in nature to further disrupt the country worst than Mother Nature has already done and continues to do. The idea is of salary increases is not an idea it is a threat to the sanity of a nation. The Private sector we learn has lost millions due to the idiots after Ivan and now while they try to recuperate they are faced with strikes and threats of strikes for salary increases they can barely now afford. Let’s see just how vindictive the Grenadian Labour Unions can be. And while I am on the issue of being vindictive I have two very short issues to deal with. Now I don’t care if it was the Grenadian Prime Minister of that of a neighboring territory that was being attacked by the Taiwanese Foreign Minister. But I think that he Taiwanese have just shown now more than ever why they are not to be recognized as a government. Their attack on Prime Minister Mitchell and by extension Grenada was classless, baseless and seemed as though they were trying to get back at Grenada for exercising its sovereignty which we celebrate in three weeks or so from now. After they offer aid to us and we support them now they call us Greedy? If I were Comrade Ralph I would be taking a close look at how these Taiwanese operate in trying to get back at individuals and governments. How crude! And finally I would like to point out that March or no March, Petition or no Petition the NDC knows fully well that there is not enough building materials in the country to help in the building process. The NDC also fully knows that the funds promised to Grenada does not mean that Grenada has money in the Treasury but that it has words in the wind and maybe a few on paper but that’s all. Why rise up the masses in relation to an issue you know the answer to and you also know government has no control over? I call it Vindictiveness and stupidity. When the masses understand what it is that you are up to I dare you all elected and non-elected involved and non -involved to face them again in three or so years. Damien Smith Grand Anse St. George Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com