The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  That is the message that six blind men on the Indian subcontinent should have gotten when they each touched a different part of the elephant and defined the whole based on that limited experience.

They all got it wrong although in some cases, so sure was each that it came to suspicion for the folly of their colleagues’ pronouncements and even blows.

BVI is like that elephant.  We are, each one, touching the small part that is of interest to us.  And we do not know what the whole looks like nor of what it is capable.

We have allowed the political class to run away with the country because it is touching the tusks of the elephant and believe them to be spears, as do we.  And it has been ruling with fear ever since.

And because The Members can be pensioned after a term and a year in office (5years) they do not have to care or achieve anything beyond that time.   

It shows.

The games they play thereafter; The grandstanding in the People’s House, is for bragging rights as to who sounded the best; Who would claim the title of Premier of the land.

It is time we take back BVI from the ruinous and self-serving excesses of the political class.  That does not mean we do not need a political class.  It simply means that our confidence in it to chart the course of the Territory must be examined.

So, the people must say what they want to achieve rather than be told what they must.

The soothsayer was right to tell Julius Caesar, twice, “Beware the Ides of March.”  And with all the other cautions he received, Caesar’s answer came in belligerent arrogance:

“The Ides of March have come.”  However, the soothsayer responded: “Aye, Caesar, but not gone.”

We do not know in whose interest the political class works.  If the greedy bill was anything to go by, we have our suspicions.

We begged them to overhaul our systems, standing orders and protocols since 28 April 2022 when a Premier of the BVI was detained on foreign soil.  

The objective was to ensure that the dictatorial powers of the Premier are clipped to remove the possibility of creating a rogue state.

But all thirteen want to be Premier without restraint so self-examination is inconvenient.

The final report card of the COI is due at the end of May 2024.  We hear no urgency in their voices in the Honourable House although life in the Territory has been made exceedingly difficult for the masses since the report of the COI surfaced.

But not for the political class.  It continues to live well and demand privileges.

So, who will keep us safe?  Who will give us an infrastructure consistent with our aspirations and the $400M that hits the treasury in revenue, annually?  Who will ensure that our children have opportunities for their future development?

Who will support and stimulate the economy so that we have the means of developing ourselves and looking after our families?

Who will …………,.?

We must insist!  It is our business; Our Government; And the leaders have demonstrated repeatedly, a callous disregard for the task.  So, we must focus on country instead of self.  For if country fails, the elephant dies with all its body parts.

BVI needs a national development plan.  Can we depend on the political class to jump start that initiative?  Should we?

When the parties are finished; When the UK makes its next move on the chessboard, perhaps we awaken from our slumber, reactionary, as usual. 

And we will likely march.  We are becoming good at that.

But we hope the bridegroom tarries to allow us to trim our lamps and have them well oiled.

And we will, on our Fridays, do our part to keep hope alive.

Happy Friday!