It certainly was not one of our best moments here on Nevis as the talk of the town focused mainly on events surrounding Trinity Broadcasting Network and their health exposition being held here on the island. Let me rather say that Premier Parry’s outbursts during his presentation at that opening ceremony left much to be desired. The after responses were profoundly expressions of dismay, disbelief and embarrassment.
TBN, one of the world’s largest religious TV networks rolled into the Charlestown Secondary School ground on Wednesday, May 16 and literally covered the entire area with tents and a complete modular outfit in order to facilitate their expedition. Helicopters and all, it was special and spectacle having this temporary health facility erected to serve our people and the expectations were great. In excess of twenty medical doctors and other professionals were on hand to offer free health care, various tests, check ups and a whole range of related advice and information to over 2500 residents. This was indeed a mammoth task and a gesture of goodwill by TBN who has been operating here on Nevis for 24 years.
Quite noticeably, our government media house NNC remained silent for this grand occasion. Similarly to a few weeks ago when there was no report from them in relation to the fiasco at the Charlestown pier, one wondered what was in the mortar other than the pestle. However, from all who saw the activities taking place at the grounds, we realized it was going to be a huge event but none expected the drama that unfolded at the opening ceremony.
Questions and concerns of the program of events for the opening ceremony for the event arose, as they were seemingly unsatisfactory to the Nevis Island Administration. They, in their wisdom addressed and rectified the program to their satisfaction on Monday night, prior to the official opening on Tuesday. It reflected the change that saw health minister, the Honorable Hensley Daniel replacing the Honorable Mark Brantley as a speaker. Mr. Brantley, incidentally, was on the program in place of Honorable Vance Amory who was off island at the time.
At the official opening, Honorable Hensley Daniel made his statesmanlike and appropriate presentation, but what followed by our premier was shocking.
It brings no pleasure to report on what our premier stated after his kind words of welcome, his acceptance and acknowledgement of Trinity Broadcasting Network’s meaningful presence here on the island and ironically, his call for our youths to lookout for role models in our community.
Great lessons are to be learnt as the debates continue. Leaders all have unique styles and each play their roles differently. It however becomes a grave concern when the masses are highly critical, disgruntled and dissatisfied with one’s leadership. Leaders are often highly scrutinized as their words, actions and deeds are viewed with microscope eyes. The good qualities are very rarely seen while the others are as glaring as viewing with binoculars. In time, however, the good prevails and dwell indelibly within.
Nevis in the recent past has changed drastically as a new style of leadership descended upon us. Disrespect, selfishness and non-caring attitudes are now alive and those foreign habits are creeping deeply into our society.
We have seen and heard a level of questionable actions from the top that are causing division within our community. Our children hear our leaders on radio, see them on TV and some of the messages delivered causes one to ask, where are we heading? We ask our children for respect and we show them disrespect daily. We ask our children to be honest and we practice dishonesty. We ask our children to be truthful, yet we practice lies and deception in their presence daily. Children live what they learn, “if a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight”.
It is about time we show respect to our children, our churches, and our people. It is time for the animosity and hatred to stop. It is time for us to heal and come clean because while we are busy trampling on each other, our time on earth is getting shorter. Nevis, however, will remain until the end of time.
