In the game of politics, it is never as they say it is; indeed, the truth lies in what is not said. I have been watching the response on social media since The New Today article and I must admit the ignorance of my Grenadian people is astonishing. I understand now why the Prime Minister has managed to remain in power for over 20 years. His tactic is simple, yet genius; by keeping the majority of the population uneducated he has assured his base.
I have seen comments on social media trying to write off the article as “fake news”. They see the statement by the Minister of Tourism confirming the airport is closed as some sort of vindication and proof that the article was incorrect. What we should have done is listen carefully for what she did not say. She did not say the government informed the major airlines that permission was denied or that no assurance was given by the government. In fact, if you watched the last press briefing with the PM, he indicated that a relaxation of the measures was already being considered.
Instead, the Government have tried to shift the attention by paying particular attention to AA flight schedule, what about the JetBlue flights, the Caribbean Airlines flights, the Virgin Atlantic flights and the BA flights. Do they really want us to believe that all these major, international and highly regulated airlines came together on their own accord and decided to ALL start selling flights from May 7 without some sort of reassurance from the Government? It will be a cold day in hell before I swallow that BS. The New Today article never said that permission was obtained, it said that the flight was available for booking which is true.
The UK and the US Airline industries have some of the strongest consumer protection regulations in the world. Do they really want us to believe that Jet Blue, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways are allowed to charge us money for a service they cannot yet provide and hold our money in their bank accounts to accrue interest until such time that they can.
This kind of mamaguy they’re asking me to believe is no different than if someone said to me BA has started selling flights direct from Grenada to New Zealand but they’re still waiting on New Zealand to agree and waiting for Rolls Royce to build an engine for a Boeing 747 capable of that journey. But it’s okay you can still go ahead and pay for the flight; we’ll just hold on to your money until it’s all sorted out. Jacka$$ must really be written across my forehead!!
If you listen carefully for what is not said in Minister Clarice Modeste-Curwen’s statement you will hear a small semblance of truth. Were the Airlines told that their request was denied? The Minister was very careful to not say that the request by the Airlines had been denied. She also did not address the flight schedules of BA, Virgin Atlantic or Jet Blue. The focus was instead on confirming that MBIA remains closed. The New Today did not dispute that the airport is currently closed. The Minister did not tell us that her government had told the airline that the request for the flight was being turned down – that is very critical and important.
If you paid close attention the last press briefing with the PM, it was apparent he was antsy to open the borders. He had already started hinting at easing the measures and placing the responsibility of testing on the airline industry. It has been circulating lately that Emirates Airlines is offering testing for their passengers. Emirates is a state-owned airline based in Dubai, where the police vehicles are Lamborghinis. Do you really think you can compare Emirates to the likes of AA and the others which have just been given a government bailout to stay afloat? According to CARPHA, each test costs roughly USD $250.00. Please tell me who is going to pay for these tests?
The Government is playing a very misleading game with the population. They have resorted to using their own test kits and machines (not endorsed by WHO or CARPHA) to conduct tests. What no one has yet to mention is since then we have not had a single case. Is this really a coincidence? Instead they come, ever so often, with a press briefing which is nothing more than a dog and pony show. Many Grenadians take this to mean that we have been successful in combating COVID-19, but I don’t trust the Government to fix the roads, so why now are we trusting their handling of COVID-19. The Government has shown us time and time again they cannot be trusted.
Again, they are trying to change the narrative. Now they want us to believe we are the only country in the world that has reduced the number of COVID-19 cases and are trying to shift the focus on recovery.
In times of national crisis, the media that is meant to be our shield and protectors, instead the media is failing us! I have forcibly sat through many a press briefings lately and the questions raised by local “reporters” are maddening. Where are the tough questions? Who is holding the government to account? If anyone had told me before that I would live to see the death of true journalism in my lifetime, I would not have believed.
Instead the media just runs with whatever is said. In a press briefing with the PM, Dr George Mitchell when asked a question, said that the test kits received from Venezuela had an 85% accuracy rate. Yesterday, Dr Martin said the same tests had a 99% accuracy rate. Which is it? Not a single “reporter” asked for clarification on this. Apparently, once you control the media, you control the narrative. Shame, shame on some of these so-called reporters in Grenada!!!
Now Dr. Martin and Dr. Mitchell join with the government and are telling us they want to open the economy based on “science”. Can someone please tell me which science? Whose science? I have heard no mention of the WHO, PAHO or CARPHA guidelines informing this decision. And yet again, not one “reporter” saw it fit to ask what science these decisions were based on. Instead, they’re asking silly questions about utensils passing between hospital wards and transportation for those living in the country-side on shopping days.
As much as the PM would like us to believe he is not electioneering, it is his hope that this global crisis will take away the attention from the state of the roads and the economy and he will be able to sail to another victory on his “successful and proactive” handling of COVID-19.
As I have said in my previous column, I am neither anti-NNP or pro-NDC. I am pro-education, pro-growth and pro-personal development, but I have yet to see sufficient progress in the last 20 years that could ever justify my unequivocal support for this government. Even the NDC has proven itself to be useless in this crisis and any confidence in its ability to handle the economy has been shattered. In fact, I think it’s high time the NDC look beyond Franka if there is to be any hope for the party in the future.
While I am sure many of us have fallen and will continue to fall for the “half-truths” and sometimes blatant lies of this administration, they continue to give us information bit by bit, while telling us to trust only them, hoping that we will not see their master plan right beyond the horizon. It appears they are already paving the way. But I am not blind and my eyes are wide open. I implore you, please do not think that this crisis is over.
While the Minister for Health would like us to believe the pandemic is behind us, this is far from the truth. Do not get complacent and do not take comfort in the political posturing that Grenada has conquered COVID-19.
If we open our borders to the COVID-19 epicentres in the UK and the US, the worst is yet to come.
Penny Ryan