As I write this article Albanians in Kosovo are intoxicated with happiness and they are all in full celebration mood as they declare their independence today February 17, 2008. Thousands joined the great festivities in the capital of Kosovo, Pristina, where people are celebrating the secession from Serbia and the declaration of independence.
Albanians are not only celebrating in Kosovo, but also in the United States of America, Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy. The breakaway province has cemented a secession that its two million Albanians believe became irreversible the moment NATO went to war to save them from Serb forces in 1999.
“These will be days of joy and happiness,” said Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. He went on to appeal for celebrations to unfold with “dignity … on the day of the declaration of independence, on the big day, on the historic day … a day of thanksgiving for a sovereign and independent Kosovo.”
A new flag is being prepared and the Kosovo Philharmonic is primed to perform Beethoven’s Ode to Joy to kick off the celebrations.
As a Nevisian quoting the words of Kosovo’s Prime Minister Thaci, my heart is filled with a persistent sense of wistful desire for Nevis to one day be able to tell our local bands to strike up the music in celebration of our own hard fought Nevisian independence.
But yet again I am forced to temper my expectations as it’s already two months into 2008 and it’s fast looking like another year in which Nevis is stuck in the nefarious doldrums of being in this political dysfunctional relationship with St. Kitts that is going nowhere fast. Yes our Nevisians politicians still have us the Nevisian people in this morass.
From the 1950s and 60s with the late Eugene Walwyn who promised secession for Nevis but then betrayed Nevis by joining with the infamous Llewelyn Bradshaw and his notorious Labour regime, then through the 1970s and 80s with Simeon Daniel and NRP who promised independence at all cost but then promptly joined with the ungrateful People’s Action Movement (PAM) of St. Kitts, then CCM in the 1990s who actually took us into a referendum in 1998 but did so apathetically and without first uniting Nevisians across party lines, to Premier Parry today who doesn’t seem to have a clue as to how to proceed on this issue.
He declared that independence for Nevis is off the table but yet advocate for more sovereignty for Nevis. Talk about a conflicting and confusing position. Premier Parry has to realize that there is only one solution to this problem and that is independence for Nevis, anything else is a comprehensive waste of time.
It’s obvious the politicians that we have elected over the last 50 years have been mostly inadequate at fully dealing with the most important political issue in Nevis’ history thus leaving us wondering through this political quagmire frustrated. The Nevisian public is almost like an abused partner in a relationship who knows he/she is suffering all kinds of verbal, physical and psychological abuse but yet is still hanging on.
I hope this condition doesn’t unfold to the next stage of those who suffer in abusive relationships, into what psychologist term a state of ‘autoplastic neurosis’.
What I found most troubling also is the fact that we as Nevisians – except for Eugene Walwyn who never won again after his egregious betrayal – hardly ever punished these politicians at the polls for their shortcomings. In the typical resigned, non-assertive and non-confrontational way of Nevisians we just let this problem continue to fester while the politicians we elect play the fool with our secessionist emotions.
It’s high time that our Nevisian politicians must understand that Nevis, just like Kosovo, need to absolve itself from this dysfunctional political experiment called St. Kitts-Nevis as full statehood remains the key prerequisite for national development.
Only sovereign states rather than artificial federations or international dependencies can attract foreign investment and enter the most important international institutions.
So, Nevisians, let us force our politicians into action. Let’s force them to listen and heed the political unity call made to both Joseph Parry and Vance Amory by Mr. Ken Evelyn at the Hearts and Hands for Nevis Inc. Award Luncheon on January 19, 2008.
It is vital that this critical step be taken as we cannot continue to linger and be insulted in this unworkable political union. As can be seen we are not bucking international trends as some may have us believe.
Just like the Albanians of Kosovo we have our sovereignty and our identity we need to develop and protect. Let us remain unwavering, focus and forever vigilant and be embolden by the underpinnings of the Albanians’ stance on their sovereign rights. Premier Parry let’s ring Nevis independence referendum bell of freedom so we too may stand proud as a Nevisian nation.
In the words of the inspirational Barrack Obama, “YES WE CAN”!!
