![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/dno\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/talk.jpg\" "\\"talk\\"")
Have you been following the \u201cmany discussion bites\u201d on the myriad of talk-shows that currently exist in Dominica? Holidays such as Sundays, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are no exception.<\/p>\nHave you been following the \u201cmany discussion bites\u201d on the myriad of talk-shows that currently exist in Dominica? Holidays such as Sundays, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are no exception.<\/p>\n
Have you made any conscious note of the discussion topics? Do you always find a common pattern? Is it true to advance the view \u2013 my view, that the most common thread in those discussions always seem to start and end with the government of Dominica and Prime Minister Skerrit in particular, however far-fetched the topic may be?<\/p>\n
When listening if you still feel inclined so to do, have you noted a number of familiar voices day in, day out, thrice times per show, every week on every conceivable topic? Have you noted that for the more familiar daily voices\/callers, they speak and express themselves without fear (talk of democracy in jeopardy) as possessors of the requisite qualification to speak with authority on all or every subject matter \u2013 whatever it is?<\/p>\n
Has it gotten to you that in large measure the hosts of these talk-shows are often times seemingly not in tune with current developments or are constantly prepared to slant the discussion in a manner that is always anti-government? Is it true to say that discussion topics that does not speak directly to partisan politics more often than not are patronized by certain callers and when they do, they slant it to suit their particular partisan interests sometimes with the help of the supporting hosts?\u00a0 Have you notice that certain callers to certain talk-shows are granted a laissey-passez as it were to simply rant on and on. I am sure by now I would have aroused the interests of some and the ire of some of the talk-show hosts. I expect a serious tongue lashing.<\/p>\n
I ask the questions to make the following point. In another piece during the celebration of our political independence I did make the point and I stand by it that Dominica has made certain progress in its development agenda. I did advance the view as well, that whilst we have progressed, whether some like to believe it or not, there is much more that we could have achieved in the years following independence. Certainly a number of the projects that government is now embarking on should have been a reality many moons ago, indeed before Prime Minister Skerrit\u2019s time on the national stage.<\/p>\n
One of the fundamental barriers to advancing our development is talk. We talk and we talk and we talk. We talk to the skies galore with ideas for Dominica\u2019s development. We all know what and how to do what that has not been done. We talk about who is responsible for getting it done whether that be at the policy level or technical and administrative level. Even without specialization in the particular field, we talk with authority on every subject matter.<\/p>\n
We know and talk about the millions of dollars that exists in foreign banks across the world just waiting for a simple telephone call or the one page application from a progressively green Dominica for the funds to flow immediately upon completing the application. We speak glibly about the numerous friends and sympathizers who are out there simply waiting for a particular policy from government or personality in government that would serve to woo them to come and invest literally billions of dollars over night. I am certainly not talking about \u201cpappy\u2019s contacts\u201d.<\/p>\n
We talk with emotion and passion on Dominica\u2019s development agenda. We always seem to have the recipe. We talk about too much infrastructure to include farm roads, but also talk confusingly about providing incentives to the farmers such as improved access, inputs, a contracted price for the produce and equipment. We talk about stopping the hurricane relief assistance to the fisherman, but in our talk we demand that the fisherman be provided with the knowledge skills and equipment to remain out at sea for longer days. Our roads are in terrible shape and the need for massive rehabilitation is our daily talk. We want an improved road surface, away from the existing deplorable conditions but even when we have made strides in this regard, we always fail to talk about these successes.<\/p>\n
Our talk though indicates that we do not want an asphalt production plant anywhere on Dominica. We are the nature island. Asphalt and nature cannot co-exist.<\/p>\n
We talk of crime and what tough hand is required to tackle crime. We even assume what our former leaders (Le Blanc, Eugenia, Pierro and Rosie), who themselves were on the receiving side of our talk, would have been thinking and acting, were they still around. We spin talk again, already in dissent over any thought of impending policy that would serve to stiffen and upgrade efforts at crime prevention. We know our constitutional rights and know what law should be enacted to deal with crime. So we talk about what should be done to ensure that the criminal is always protected against law enforcement and law abiding citizens. Yes, we keep talking, because we have all the answers and those in authority, although they were bred, live and work in the same society like us, do not have a clue. We talk about attempts to stifle democracy not even realizing that the democracy we enjoy allows us to talk, more complain without fear about democracy being at risk.<\/p>\n
We talk about challenges in the housing sector and poverty of our people and what needs to be done. So whilst we wait for development programs aimed at relieving the suffering to take effect, we keep on talking about the hopelessness of our people. We conclude in our talk that government must not assist directly because any such government assistance is encouraging \u201cmendicancy\u2019 and is always administered in a corrupt way befitting only one group of people.<\/p>\n
As for agriculture we have all the talk and answers to improving productivity, establishment of lasting and rewarding marketing arrangements not only locally but externally even with WTO reality. Our well established and chronicled challenges to production (labour, suitable lands, difficulties with inputs, per capita production) seemingly are not important as the political expediency of our submissions. We talk about making financial incentives available to the industry, but when certain facilities are made available we tear them down as being inadequate, shortsighted, corrupted and partisan. Oh, boy we talk and talk. On a recent talk show, a farmer now turned talk show co-hosts submitted that the 2010 breadfruit season will not be as productive as 2009. Somehow he got to know that Prime Minister Skerrit likes breadfruit, so he wants to know what \u201cSkerrit\u201d will do for the upcoming festive season. I am sure I heard about a corrupted, government manipulation of the breadfruit season.<\/p>\n
Yes, our talk without end particularly on subjects and issues that are beyond us is our \u201ccup of tea\u201d. It\u2019s like we must talk. We have to be heard. Imagine before a local agency could complete its work on a recent matter, we were already talking about inviting foreign interests to come and do the work the local agency is capable of doing. But then with a flip of our tongue, we talk again about foreign influences.\u00a0 Talk about foreign influences. We talk and lament about the prevalence of Chinese stores in Dominica and the danger they pose to indigenous businesses. Guess what, when it suits us and our pocket we forget about heart wrenching the talk we just delivered and rent out our own premises to who? The very same Chinese we complained about in our talk. So instead of one store the Chinese now have two stores. But we continue to talk.<\/p>\n
In our desire to talk and keep talking, irrespective of truth or objectivity we even run the risk of being contemptuous of the same court we like to criticize and praise in the same breath or when it suits our purpose. Then we talk again and offer up an offensive, more of an aggressive, tongue in cheek, not accepting liability of an apology, because we must continue to talk.<\/p>\n
Even when we do not admit to our own shortcomings, we talk in a manner that will not only serve to showcase another individual\u2019s sad story \u2013, but we talk so much that we do not even realize we are talking about and reflecting our own self. That notwithstanding, our life size ego will not stop us from talking. We become so proud, pompous and self righteous that we simply wish to continue talking because our silence may not be enough talk. When through circumstance (financial, family or social) we are forced to remain tight lipped even if for a few days, there is never a shortage of ready and willing replacements for more talk even when we really cannot talk. But talk we must.<\/p>\n
Oh! By the way, the people of Dominica, the classical, vast majority by any stretch of the imagination, not virtual, have been talking with a certain deafening silence. Those of us who without let up either do not hear what the vast majority is saying, wished we had not spoken at all. It is as though we have been endowed with a God-given right to silence the vast majority of silent talkers with our never ending chatter and absolutely excessive, raucous verbiage. But then again, whether we chose to be part of the minority blabbermouth or of the vast majority of \u201csilent talkers\u201d it is our right so to do.<\/p>\n
The constitution of Dominica provide for both of us. Dominica\u2019s forward development agenda is not about how much or how able we are in talking. It is rather what we talk about that will inform and spur our actions for national development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Have you been following the \u201cmany discussion bites\u201d on the myriad of talk-shows that currently exist in Dominica? Holidays such as Sundays, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are no exception. Have you made any conscious note of the discussion topics?…","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":24754,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n