A challenge to God's work

Keith Noel, Contributor

There is a growing sense of despair among Caribbean people. 

We are so often faced with examples of lies and corruption among our political leaders that we have all but given up hope for them. We are continually rocked by news of acts of hypocrisy and self-serving nepotism by other leaders of society; by acts of immorality and depravity by persons in the leadership of churches; by incidents that display an uncaring, callous, selfishness in teachers, doctors and nurses; that we are tempted to retreat into a private world and ignore the rest of society.

It was Peter Minshall, famed Trinidadian artist and creator of the famous giant 'dancing mobiles' which were featured in the opening ceremony of the Barcelona Olympics, who mourned recently:

"... That bright, illuminating spark of true Caribbean culture, its hybrid brilliance aglow before independence, is now sold out to a cult of greed and power at any cost. A cancer of corruption corrodes the body politic; a corruption of spirit; a primitive, barbaric immorality of soul ..."

Decline in standards

Although Minshall's pained expression may seem extreme, it is the view that many of us hold. We lament continually about the decline in standards and claim that today's politicians are dwarfed by men like Norman Manley, Bustamante, Eric Williams, Albert Marryshow, and Grantley Adams.

We lament at the 'decline' in standards in the performing arts. "Imagine," one theatre buff said to me at my favourite bar recently, "the comic tradition of Louise Bennett is now in the hands of Shebada!" Another cynic asked, "You are a contributor to The Gleaner, so tell me - who has taken over the role played by persons like Theodore Sealy? Remember, Barbara Gloudon wrote for The STAR! And Archie Lindo reviewed plays there! Can you rationalise that?"

Some also lament the state of our popular music. We despair when we hear the gun lyrics, the valorisation of mindless violence and the raw sexuality, unburdened by double entendre, of our modern pop singers.

And then our youth. We are appalled by their uncouth behaviour and their poor grades in external examinations. Something must be done, we claim, about the situation where our youth are concerned!

What is to be done? "God helps those ...', my father used to say. Rather than despair and retreat into our private 'worlds', we must be proactive and do what is needed to rekindle the glow, the "hybrid brilliance of Caribbean culture". This culture that was 'aglow' at that time was an expression of the will, and the ability, of our people to survive the oppressiveness of slavery, colonialism, racism, and the servitude fostered by the education system that had been foisted on us.

Maintaining our selfhood

The struggle to maintain our selfhood has not been easy. It is true that Trinidad carnival has, in some ways, become more crass, and that this is encouraged by the greed of some bandleaders and organisers. Dancehall music, also driven by the demon, greed, has become more crude because, as the talented Lady Saw says, "a slackness dem want! A dat a feed mi pickni".

It is greed and power-lust that continue to drive some politicians to acts that they know are inimical to societal progress. In the leaders of churches, large and small, we also see actions that indicate the work of these demons, of nepotism or even the desire to be a kind of 'don' whose every whim must be followed unquestioningly.

There is work to be done. We have the righteous among us and we must do all in our power to see that their influence will eventually predominate. We must encourage the bright young politicians to stay the course of righteousness. We must expose and reject the corrupt among them until they are in the minority. We must challenge our pastors and deacons into true ministry. We must encourage dramatic artists like Patrick Brown, Basil Dawkins, and young Sabreena McDonald. We must give more than armchair support to conscious reggae artists. And, most of all, each community must become the village that raises the child.

We cannot fail. It is God's work.

Keith Noel is an educator. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com