DENNIS JOSEPH WEEKLY: A warrior falls

Dennis Joseph
Dennis Joseph

Though most of us figured he had not long to live once a seriously ailing Chavez was returned to Venezuela from Cuba and also I heard renowned journalist Dan Rather on AXS-TV declare almost two months ago that he had information that Chavez would not recover yet the news of his death was earth moving.  It was as if a mountain had toppled to the sea and those here who just a few short years ago had lovingly called him, “Daddy,” dissolved into tears and sorrowful  chants as if for personal loss.  Undoubtedly Hugo Chavez was a political warrior boldly going where others fear to go  and saying what no other leader would dare say.  Like on his TV show in 2005, “Being rich is bad, it is inhuman” and in 2006 at the United Nations referring to  US President George Bush, “Yesterday the devil came here. Right here. And it smells of sulphur still today.”  He had ideas for taking control of the Caribbean region and defying what he termed, “The US empire.”   It could be imagined that if Chavez could sing before the final curtain  he might have chosen lines from one of the most covered songs in history which was adapted from a French song titled ‘Comme D’habitude’ and  rewritten by Paul Anka and given to Frank Sinatra to record under the title “MY Way.”  Chavez might have sung,

 

“Regrets I have a few,

But then again too few to mention

I did what I had to do and

Saw it through without exception.”

 

But then he would pause for there is much he did not see through.  Ideas like ALBA which is still a work in progress, relieving poverty in Venezuela which is still astronomical in this oil rich country, his ambition to be the head honcho of the Caribbean basin and even to control the outcome of elections in the region using oil money to back his favoured candidates.  In Waitikubuli the promise of cheap fuel through Petro Caribe is a pipe dream and his promised coffee plant is yet to appear and the standard of living of our people which he had promised to elevate is still down in the basement.  But this warrior would quickly counter with, “Halo, no excuses for a champion, my replacement will complete my work.”   But can Maduro fill the giant shoes of such a man?

The death of Chavez should be a lesson to all leaders that immortality is reserved only for God.  Chavez stood taller than regional leaders not in height but because of his unbelievable force and will to pursue  his vision beyond just merely dreaming of winning the next elections.  There are those in Florida that celebrate joyfully  his passing as they saw him as a posturing bumbling dictator who squandered  the country’s vast resources, driving away investors and any he did not favour in his quest to make Venezuela a model socialist State.   The fear of the mighty capitalist societies was that he would take the rest of the region with him as governments with no clue as to how to make their islands more productive would jump on his bandwagon and do his every command just to get money handouts as our own guys have done.

Yet in Venezuela millions saw him as a saviour and one on the side of the poor and returned him to political power every election day.  The fall of such a personality is certain to be an historical event and for those who depended on his largesse very worrying indeed.

Our Prime Minister has dutifully declared a period of mourning for a friend of our island and seemed to be emotionally overwrought at the passing of the man he called, “Father, adviser and friend.”  He has ordered a Catholic church mass which I suppose is to pray for the soul of the departed, and though I am not one for a mass, I wonder whether it would have been more meaningful that while he was struggling to defeat the  terminal cancer to have a whole lot of masses and prayers then while he was still alive.

The reality however is that Chavez has gone  at the relatively early age of 58 and died  without having been sworn in  after the last elections to be President once again.  So now what does our government do?  Hope that the new “pardner”  will be a father, adviser and friend to our PM?  Or will this death teach us that in the end we must learn to swim on our own.  It is time to pay attention to our God-given resources and how effectively we can use them.  It is time to stop placing round pegs in square holes simply because they sing the party song most times so unaccustomed to it that they screech out of key.  It is time to appreciate that we have much talent both here and in the Diaspora and to provide leadership so as to use that wonderful human resource for the good of us all as we struggle toward real independence.  It is to be hoped that our PM can see beyond his tears of  sorrow for his friend today, rise above the partisan posture so that we can be not so shaken in the future by the death of a foreign leader but stirred up to enthusiastic fervor about our own march to development and prosperity our way.   Otherwise we will be stuck declaring days of mourning for “fathers and friends”  in China, Morocco and wherever else.  The song, ‘MY WAY’ ends with very interesting lines;

 

“What is a man what has he got

If not himself then he has naught

To say the things he truly feels

And not the words of one who kneels

The record shows I took the blows and did it my way.”

 

Though Hugo Chavez did not finish his course and he admitted that himself when he implored God to give him more life to complete his mission yet what he was able to do he did his way.

Christians believe that there will be a resurrection after death so perhaps we might meet Chavez again someday.  In the words of William Ross Wallace, “Every man dies but not every man lives.”   Whatever you may think of the policies of Hugo Chavez of Venezuela  none can deny that he truly lived.

Rest in peace from your labours Chavez  warrior politician.

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32 Comments

  1. Erasmus B. Black
    March 7, 2013

    Mr. Joseph, I do not always agree with you but in my humble opinion, this is an excellent piece.

    Allegedly, when Mr. Chavez returned to Venezuela after his penultimate cancer treatment in Cuba he made an impassioned plea to God for help. Standing in front of an image of Jesus with the crucifix he prayed on Venezuelan National television these words: “give me your crown Jesus; give me your cross, your thorns that I may bleed, but give me life because I have more to do for this country and these people. Do not take me yet.”

    Our Dear Leader, deeply grieved, has described Mr. Chavez as a brother, father, friend and more. No one can deny that Mr. Chavez “truly lived”, but now he’s dead and no amount of embalming ointments can make him live again. The lesson is: God is no respecter of persons be they warriors, kings, princes, presidents, billionaires, beggars or thieves.

  2. say it loud
    March 7, 2013

    I heard his last words were don’t let me die

  3. March 7, 2013

    Come on Telemacque, let’s tell all. If you want to talk about dictators, despots, murderers and the lake. For some of us, if America says John is bad then John is bad; but if American says James is very good,though he (JAMES)is as evil as John then James is good.

    The Britain and the U.S. plotted with Forbes Burnham to steal the 1964 Guyanese Election. Kennedy engineered the assasination of South Vietnam’s President in 1962; but folks like you would not say that any U.S. president is /was wicked. Hawaii was not at war with America when its queen/ruler was forced to turn the country to the U.S.; but again folks like you would fine no fault with that. Do not forget the CIA’s involvement in the assassination of Allende of Chile in 1973. “You want me to go on?”

    Chavez bulldozed a mountain to build homes for the needy, but none of the major news corporations broadcasted/televised that. Not FOX. NOT CNN. No, none of them. It took Aljazeera to tell us about it. You think that the thousands, yes millions, crying for and mourning the death of Chavez haven’t realized that they have lost a champion of the poor? To borrow a line from a 1963 calypso by Sparrow: ” It will take the world over a century to get a next man lie Chavez.”

    So brother don’t come with this crap. Chavez’s good outweighs his bad. Let’s pray God that his successor love the poor of Venezuela (AND DOMINICANS) almost as much as Chavez loved them. And if any Dominican fails to mourn Chavez’s passing away please,refrain from saying anything negative about the man for the next three weeks.

    . Allende in Chile

    • Views Expressed
      March 7, 2013

      Ignus thomas I disagree with you and see where Telemaque is coming from……CHAVEZ has not planted seeds for continuity and sustainability , he preyed on the vulnerable people and used or abused Venezuela`s resources to fight the west and USA. The fght was in Venezuela`s backyard not the USA etc… It was all about Chavez and he did not plants seeds for continiuity in Venezuela. I detest poau;ist leaders leadrs , they are sickening and a cancer to cointry which will inevitable die……God Bless Venezuela and its poor people. RThese people need to be trained, schooled , educated, skilled to use their own resources to their benefit. Venezuela depends on USA for its wealth, it is USA who buys the oil. The man was a dictator.. Gas in Dominica is stil high, al this pero t=stuff is a farce – do the maths..

      • March 8, 2013

        Someone said he bulldozed a mountain and build houses for poor people, but they forget those who needed the homes more only stood by and watch his closest supporters and clones benefited.

        The same thing is happening in Dominica with housing program.

        Indeed it was all about Chavez and his power!

        Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • Peeping Tom
      March 7, 2013

      Very well said, Ignus!

    • March 8, 2013

      “The Britain and the U.S. plotted with Forbes Burn ham to steal the 1964 Guyana Election.”

      Mr. Thomas, this is interesting, I do not know abut the UK, U.S plot with Forbes Burham to steal an election from anyone, my earliest knowledge regarding Guyana’s politics came about in 1961/1962, I remembered the rivalry between Chedi Jagan, and Forbes Burham.

      That was about the time when the British coerced the nations of the region into independence, eventually Jagan, and Burham entered into an agreement where Burham would allow Jagan to become Prime Minister of Guyana, and he Burnham would become President of the Guyana Republic for the rest of his life.

      So, you see how politicians look after each other?

      As for the issues in Vietnam, or in South East Asia, and the Kennedy orders I am not aware of except the attempt to get rid of communism in that part of the world, in addition to my personal belief that both the United States, and the now defunct Soviet Union used Vietnam as a battle ground to test the military strength, and power of both nations.

      My opinion as to who won the war shall remain classified in my thoughts!

      Anyway, I have no knowledge of who or what was prior to Burham, and Jagan, here is my E-mail: [email protected] perhaps you can let me have that part of history only for my enlightenment, I only date back to people such as Erick Williams, Erick Gerry, Ebeneza Joshua, Grantley Adams, E.O Leblanc, Frank Baron, V. C. Bird, Robert Bradshaw, & Dominica born Paul Southwell.

      By now you know I was born, however not in the eighteenth century oui, so I doh know everything as some people eh!

      Ah still very young oui!

      Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  4. anonymat
    March 7, 2013

    Another song came to mind. No man is an island noman stands alone…….. swim alone for what

  5. Malfini
    March 7, 2013

    Dennis, Perhaps you mean well. I would rather believe that you do.

    But when you say things like
    “…wonder whether it would have been more meaningful that while he was struggling to defeat the terminal cancer to have a whole lot of masses and prayers then while he was still alive.” What is the purpose of that comment? Popularity? Why didn’t YOU suggest it at that time? You have specilal access to media houses in Dominica, the nation would have listened to you.

    In addition, I think your article would be worth so much more if you gave a few examples of our “God-given resources” and outlined how we can “effectively …use them.” If you dont do that, your well thougth out paper has the same value as the lay pundits who babble on our media.

    Just talking about “square pegs in round holes” is such a hackneyed archaic phrase. It turns up shooting at every administration until it has become as repugnant as yesterday’s vomit.

    Come on Dennis, those of us who know you expect better from you. Even if you dont like the PM, and it appears that you dont, do not let that mar the excellence that you can share with your nation. One could say that the PM is doing his best even where to err is human. Now I am looking at you to do yours. You owe it to us.

  6. Malfini
    March 7, 2013

    Once you are marked as an enemy you dont have far to downfall

  7. Straight Talk
    March 7, 2013

    While this is a very good commentary, I would have rather if you said a Good Warrior “passes-on” in stead of “falls”. It gives the impression that he was ousted

  8. Smile
    March 7, 2013

    “So now what does our government do? Hope that the new “pardner” will be a father, adviser and friend to our PM? Or will this death teach us that in the end we must learn to swim on our own. ”

    Tell me which Small Island Developing State, or developing nation can “swim on its own”. SMH Whether it’s help from the EU, England, the US, OAS- whichever, all countries accept aid in various forms. Bailouts for Europe from IMF… and you are talking about “swim on own”?

    I certainly agree to developing our own natural and human resources but please let us keep things in their proper perspectives… because nations all over are both giving and receiving aids. If a nation develops all its resources, it still will not be self sufficient, for we were structured for interdependence.

    RIP HUGO CHAVEZ- you did it Your way…

    • awa wi
      March 8, 2013

      why dont you write your own column? why are u trying to put words in d man mouth? learning to swim on our own does not mean the same thing as self sufficient. i think it refers to taking responsibility for our development through the proper development of our resources instead of acting like some parasitic species of fish that swim with the big fish hoping for some leftovers.

  9. MARIGOT
    March 7, 2013

    Thumbs up Dennis a very good piece.

  10. T mama
    March 7, 2013

    I enjoyed….

  11. March 7, 2013

    Denis, there is a difference between a “warrior” and a thug or a dictator okay!

    Although one must accept the fact that the majority of Venezuelans are poor, and they supported, and voted Chavez into power in a democratic fashion; you have forgotten that he attempted a coup d’etat which failed and for which he was arrested tried, found guilty, and incarcerated.

    You need to remember his actions of not too long ago; shortly before he got real ill, he would simply walk the streets of Caracas with his entourage of supporters, and confiscate the properties of his opponents, and non-supporters.

    Only dictators operates that way, the man was a dictator!

    A man is known by the company he keeps, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, chances are we in Dominica were friends to, and dealt with a duck! His best friends were people like the Iranian dictator, and Castro, whom at the beginning of his rein of terror eliminated many Cubans.

    He created an alliance with pile of communistic dictators Latin America in what they term ALBA to which I hear Dominica belong: So, I do not find him to be a warrior, if anything he lost that glory when he attempted to overthrow his nations government by force, anyone who gain power by a coup d’etat, or after serving jail time after an attempted coup to me is not a warrior!

    He seemed more like a criminal I would say.

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • Desert Cactus
      March 7, 2013

      You that Telemak man always blowing hot air up your own a.

    • maindesk
      March 7, 2013

      A warrior is someone who is aggressively engaged in a cause or conflict and is not necessarily a good person.

  12. IREMEMBER
    March 7, 2013

    Excellent commentary with much thought as always Dennis….always a pleasure reading your articles.

  13. All for One
    March 7, 2013

    Go watch the documentary SOUTH OF THE BOARD by Oliver Stone and you will understand what Chavez Was all about. One will understand why Latin America have revered this man how his actions have united a region, how ALBA has have freed them from the jaws of the IMF. If you are interested in real journalism and not political sarcasm I recommend you watch this Documentary.

    • Mahaut
      March 7, 2013

      I had the pleasure of watching this..I actually own it now…by far the most non-baosed piece pf journalism I have come accross in a minute.
      Good stuff!

    • SOMETHING ELSE.
      March 7, 2013

      I wish he would truly watch the Documentary and he would stop his political sarcasm.

  14. Poule jeenga
    March 7, 2013

    I look forward to reading your commentary every week, u do it your way like most other cant. I still believe that this nation of ours is a blessed one and with the right heads in Government we are quite capable of living well on our own resources ‘our fertile lands’

  15. OVERSEAS
    March 7, 2013

    Well written piece.

    • Eh! Eh!
      March 7, 2013

      No wonda CXC grades in English sooooooooo looooooooooooow :mrgreen:

  16. Understand
    March 7, 2013

    Excellent piece…

  17. As I see it.
    March 7, 2013

    Thanks Dennis well put together, we mourn the death of our beloved Chavez, a fallen hero indeed. May his soul rest perfect peace.

  18. Oh yes
    March 7, 2013

    Sounds like much thought went into this piece. Dennis continues to do it his way in a manner no one else can.

  19. Anonymous
    March 7, 2013

    This was a great piece of reading Mr. Joseph.

  20. Edgar Hunter
    March 7, 2013

    Mr. Dennis Joseph again i want to applaud for such creative writing.
    This piece is very analytical but most of all it is challenging us as a people.

    For sure Mr. Chavez was a true friend to Dominica and as such has contributed meaningfully to our development. We may know agree with him but he was someone he had deep convictions in his belief and was not afraid to expose them to the world.

    RIP fallen soldier

  21. Morihei Ueshiba
    March 7, 2013

    Analysts from Criminal Justice International Associates recently estimated that the Chávez Frías family in Venezuela has ‘amassed a fortune” similar to that of the Castro brothers in Cuba – value of $2 billion. :mrgreen:

  22. Thinking
    March 7, 2013

    quite profound and thought provoking. a well written piece.congratulations and thanks Denis.

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