Latest update April 17th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 10, 2008 Features / Columnists
The Parrot loves creole proverbs; even have a plaque inscribed with some in my cage. Recently I noticed Uncle Prem from UG used one in his many letters to editors. He alluded to the actions of Bruce, the PM of Reggae land, Jamaica, as “pot calling the kettle black”.
While I am surprised at Uncle Prem using colloquial terms, I have to admit that I agree with him. I am in no way suggesting that Bruce is a pot nor are other Regional Leaders kettles. It just shows how fitting a proverb can be; “deep” and appropriate.
In the same vein as Uncle Prem’s letter, yesterday’s editorial of this paper brought to fore the real Bruce; his double standard was exposed.
Locally used terms such as “Dutch axe”, two face” and “Judas” immediately “come to mind”. How dare Bruce castigate his colleagues who were, and are, seeking ways to develop their countries and the lives of their peoples?
He called them “panhandlers” for what he described as them “…going around hat in hand to every capital of the world….” Now, obviously he is exaggerating since they could have not gone to every capital of the world.
That exaggeration aside, it must be asked, does this guy, Bruce that is, know what it takes to run a country? Now I know you would tell me that he KNOWS about running, vis-à-vis Bolt, Powell and the fact that his country “boasts” of being among the top three murder capitals of the world, so his people are extremely athletic.
That’s the running he knows; managing a country is different. When he came to power, he blamed his predecessor for mismanaging the supposedly “Irie” island.
Does his country have the financial resources to execute developmental programmes? No. How do they get the money? Borrow. From whom? International lending institutions, including the World Bank.
Recently his Finance Minister, Audley Shaw, was in Washington D.C. seeking financial assistance for the island. What is that? Double standards? Hat-in-hand? Panhandling?
Isn’t that the same thing he is berating his colleagues about? His country is the fourth most indebted country in the world. It’s not me saying that; it’s one of the very plenty index reports that are done by international agencies saying so.
So tell me, how could a “good” new Bruce “bad talk” the same thing he, well his Finance Minister, is doing? Is it that he is unaware of Mr. Shaw’s doings?
The way he operates, Bruce that is, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is. What he, still on Bruce, has to understand is that being proactive in an effort to develop one’s country is vastly different from his hat-in-hand fixation.
The late Uncle Cheddi, old as he was, vigorously sought debt relief. This continued through Uncle Bharrat. They were relentless in their efforts to improve conditions here. Today the evidence speaks for itself. We are better off.
Bruce talks while his country wallows in crime and poverty. Only recently his electricity system collapsed, plunging the entire island into darkness.
Maybe he is yet to see the light; light changes thinking. Not a mighty task Bruce. Then again, it might be if you are deficient in might to accomplish the task.
Remember gold doesn’t come easily; you have to dig for it. Right Bruce; Gold-dig. Uncle Bharrat can share some tips. Oh un-mighty Bruce. It’s people like you that make proverbs more relevant. The hypocrisy stinks.
Squawk! Squawk!
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