Alred C. Frett. Photo: Provided

Alred C. Frett

It’s over 6-months since Hurricane Irma destroyed Satellite Dishes, toppled Radio Towers and severed our On-Air connections but thanks to VINO my views were kept alive via ‘Truth for the Youth’ Articles. These Hurricanes dropped us in a time zone of Natural and man-made disasters and along with the forces of evil and Impediments we encountered, I applaud your ability to survive in what is ‘our worst of times’.

We are all in this together; we share the same Social Difficulties, experience the same hardships and suffer the same oppression… Your pain is my pain so when asked to provide a Voice of Fairness and Justice I felt obliged to accept the Challenge and resume my live Radio Message on (Caribbean Broadcasting Network) – CBN 90.9/FM Radio - Saturdays from 6 PM to 7 PM… Again, thanks to CBN’s Management.

Together we are stronger but there are still those among us, who refuse to look, listen and earn – They ignore the Message, criticise the Messenger, glorify Evil, complain endlessly and offer no Solutions… They would much rather follow the ways of the Wicked, refuse to help their Fellowman and wait to be rescued from themselves by some great White Warrior – Please beware their discouragement.

In this era of Trump’s Lies, Greed and Racism we struggle against the unnatural behaviour of our fellowman and must avoid being sidetracked by the frivolous. It is one thing to be amused that IRMA is enclosed in MARIA but there is no joy in realising the pre-hurricane badness is still enclosed in the present post-hurricane conditions. This makes it even more necessary to redouble our Recovery Efforts.

Selfishness brings out the worst in those we are told to regard as being the best

Of course this will not be easy because the wicked are many and not everyone welcomes Truth. At the same time the less fortunate seem destined to suffer simply because the Chosen Ones deny that our biggest obstacles to recovery may be caused by the malfunctioning of those with the loudest promise and greatest responsibility to help… Their behaviour makes Battles long and our Recovery slow.

These problems are around us like a sinking ship with a cargo of despair and broken promises so it’s not enough to claim that ‘Fish rots from the head down’ without also acknowledging that ‘Filth can start at the bottom and float to the top’… We are now witnessing ‘get rich quick’ schemes and agendas where our Merchants, Suppliers, Insurers, Landlords and Leaders have developed a taste for victimising our People.

Even before the Winds dropped and rain stopped, Merchants and suppliers jacked up their Prices beyond affordability; Landlords skyrocketed Rents on damaged Properties and Insurance Companies withheld Repair Payments from their Clients… Unfortunately, instead of opposing such Price Gouging and Abuses, our Leaders joined the ‘Cash Only’ demands from a traumatised and broken People.

Pre-hurricane bad practices of Immigration and Labour Departments were resurrected as the work permits process openly supports ‘money stealing’ as Labour Department failed to complete work permit renewals in time. The scam forces the innocent Victims to buy ‘time extensions’ from the Immigration Department, although they had done exactly as instructed by the Labour Department.

As if this was not bad enough, a fresh post-hurricane burden is placed on work permit applicants via New Immigration Medical Requirements. These medicals cost about twice as much but does less to protect the Territory’s health. Perhaps they mean well but there are enough Doctors in Parliament to know better, do better and inform the public before creating excuses to rob employees and employers.

 Losing our birthright is no road to recovery:

The Hurricanes have brought and left health issues and we continue losing citizens from stress and disease but leaders seem to care more about Dollars. Maybe their idea of progress is not about helping us recover but about how they and others can profit from our misery… Maybe some hoped the Hurricanes would break us to the point where BV-Islanders would be forced to abandon or sell the little we possess.

Maybe this is already happening without our knowledge and that would be tragic… As an Original BV-Islander I ask you to never sell out yourselves or abandon your Birthright because when they are gone there is no getting them back… There is no good time to fight each other but no better time than now to stand firmly together so Vultures can see our ability to survive despite their devious plans and schemes.

Our struggle must go on despite a Black History Month that appears to be fading into nothingness… It is clear that the effects of Racism and Colonialism have never left us - Our Heroes are broken, forgotten, or replaced as Societies still teach our Children that being White means being right - We learn to hate and regard ourselves as inferior, lazy and criminal as we accept being judged by the colour of our skin.

You may deny this but the Hurricanes exposed black and white oppressors quick to label us Looters while pretending to be Victims so they could steal our Eyes from our head… Such Hypocrites display their Sheep’s Clothing while hiding the fangs of Wolves… They too see us as being our own worst Enemies; supporting and creating Laws in the Oppressor’s best interest rather than those to help ourselves.

Why not use the Justice System to bring real Justice to the Poor?

It has always been public knowledge that being black and poor makes automatic victims – We are already black so the poorer they can make us the more victimised we become… Subsequently, when Lawyers, Leaders or any of us consider ourselves rich we shed consciences, ignore our Roots and become Modern Slave Masters; dedicated to defending the corrupt, rich and powerful while persecuting the Black and Poor.

Tosh was prophetic when he said ‘Everybody is crying out for Peace but no one is crying out for Justice’ just like ‘Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die’… Maybe the time has come for Government Lawyers and Enforcers to promote Peace and Justice by stopping the use of Public Funds to persecute us for Crimes forced on us whenever the Rich and powerful victimises the poor and helpless.

Just think about it – Won’t it be far better if Attorney General Chambers was used to prosecute wicked Landlords, Suppliers, Insurers and Leaders for stealing and abusing Tenants, Clients and Citizens rather than the innocent poor?... Won’t that create Peace and a Life worth living; where our Youth would be less likely to be destitute and rebellious to the point of devaluing the lives of others and stealing to survive?

PS: I will continue addressing some of your questions and comments on Live BVP Radio Programmes.