I was extremely gratified when Washie decided to focus on the exploitation of our nation by the Chinese and Indian businesses. Primarily, because the government seems to have determined to allow unfortunate practices to be perpetuated without scrutiny. I hope that Washie's message will not be interpreted as being xenophobic or racist, because he addressed what is clearly a disparity within the business community. Unlike our former European colonists, who integrated us into the employment environment by offering us opportunity to work in their businesses, our Chinese and Indian counterparts do not share such a philosophy.

The philosophy of the Chinese and Indian businesses generally focuses on the development and promotion of their family and, by extension, their homeland and community. Of course, while I have absolutely nothing against the incorporation of family members into their business establishment, I have great displeasure when they move into a Black community to establish businesses and contribute nothing to the financial upward mobility of that community by employing no one from that community. Our people ought to receive direct benefits from any investor coming into our environment. To totally refuse to offer any type of employment to the nationals, who are keeping their business ventures stimulated, is unacceptable. I must also say that such behavior appears to be indifferent and malicious towards our people.

Are the Chinese and Indians saying that our people have no intellectual ability or entrepreneurial skills that they can make a valuable contribution to their business establishment? Are they discriminating against our people while at the same time becoming opulent at their expense?

Are Chinese, implementing a strategy to prevent our people from having access to wealth, which can improve their socioeconomic status within their own nation. I must say, I strongly resent the marginalization of the local population that the Chinese and Indians are trying to implement within our society as they have done within practically every Black community throughout the globe. We must not allow this to take place within our society.

Entrepreneurial Skills

Our people do possess ingenuity and they are very enterprising. The evolution of St. Kitts itself as a society speaks volumes for the tenacity and industriousness of its people. Let me reminisce for a moment: I recall individuals going to the sea and retrieving something they called sea moss. They meticulously processed it and created one of the most delicious drinks I had ever tasted as a little boy. As I travelled around the world, I came to realize that other countries were producing the drink and also calling it sea moss, but may I dare say, the quality of that produced in St. Kitts is second to none. If we were provided with more resources, this could have been of great economical benefit to individuals in our nation.

In McKnight, there was a lady called Ms. Janet. She made some of the tastiest sugar cakes and tamarind jam, which drew children from Irish town school and other villages that heard of her creations. Whenever I ate Ms. Janet's sugar cakes, I would lick my fingers. These individuals and many more were great entrepreneurs in our country who utilized their limited resources to offer a service to their communities.

Many of our citizens are well learned and have attained qualifications in various vocations. They do have the expertise to establish large financial institutions that would in turn advance our society. These businesses would help to create employment and generate revenue for our government and can be used to further develop of our nation socially and economically.

What we need to do is to create a culture where our people see themselves as employers rather than employees. Instilling the strong values of entrepreneurship in their minds at an early age would no doubt foster that type of environment. We must also provide the incentive to become investors and to educate ourselves for positions in his field.. We must abolish the slavish mentality, which has plagued our psyche for generations.

Now is the time, fellow Kittitians, to seize the day and reinvent and reaffirm our true identity. We must become involved in the overall development of our nation. The responsibility is ours to determine whether we shall allow others to exploit us, take advantage of us, or stand up and define who we are as a people.

If we stand up for our values, then ultimately the Chinese and the Indians will come to respect us as a people. As a consequence, they will desist from promoting the extinction of local businesses in our nation.

I urge the government to put strong policies in place that will prevent outside investors from engulfing our business community. For example:

1. Investors must offer different services than what is currently offered by local businesses.

2. They must be willing to employ a large percentage of the local people in their business.

3. They must be willing to contribute to the social and economic development of our society.

4. They must play by the same rules that regulate local businesses do.

Conclusion

If these, and perhaps more visionary considerations are put in place, they would help to sustain local businesses and protect our island from one more form of foreign domination.

Let us strive to change for the better. Unwillingness to do so will be sabotaging future generations.