[dropcap]I[/dropcap] was in equal awe during the 2008 and 2016 general elections of the United States of America. The first time because the idea of a black president seemed impossible to me because of adults’ beliefs that the US was predominantly racist, and the second because I thought another anti-discrimination record would have been broken in the form of the first female US president; also, because I could not understand: Who would vote for Donald Trump?
And I am still in disbelief of his presidency, more so a year later when he referred to Haiti, El Salvador and some African countries as ‘shithole’ countries. Many reports say that President Trump’s statement was made during a White House law and policy meeting concerning refugees. Specifically he asked lawmakers, “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”
He seemingly deemed these places ‘shithole’ countries because he thought their contribution economically to the United States to be minimal.
The Urban Dictionary has multiple definitions of ‘shithole’, one of which states: “A country endowed with all kinds of natural resources but as a result of bad leadership and enshrined systemic corruption fails to provide basic amenities, basic education, basic health care, security, food, job and improved standard of living for her citizens, thereby leading to economic migration of the inhabitants to the discomfort of a foreign country.”
The Urban Dictionary is a platform where the public can submit informal meanings for colloquial words and terms. However, this one meaning had some truth to it; I found it very relatable to Saint Lucia. Here are a few basic resources which some Saint Lucians are deprived of and which, as a result, might classify the island as a ‘shithole’ country, all of which you may already know.
Water Woes
Since the millions of dollars worth of damage caused by Hurricane Tomas in 2010, work on the desilting of the John Compton Dam has yet to begin, a process which the STAR last reported would take a period of about five years. During the hurricane the pumps at the dam were destroyed and silt blocked the lower port of the reservoir.
In a report, WASCO confirmed that it has been able to fairly supply water around the island. Despite the good years of adequate water supply, even during the dry season, several areas in Saint Lucia still suffer from a lack of running water, namely some communities in Babonneau. That is only because of the locations of these areas. On the bright side, over the past year and some months the water supply has seen some major improvements.
Poor Internet and Cable Access
I feel confident enough to claim that the majority of readers have either called or visited a FLOW office multiple times for the same issues: slow or dysfunctional internet service and disrupted television and cable viewing.
During a media briefing in October 2017, Guy Joseph affirmed that discussions with telecommunications companies revealed the quality of service had been compromised by recent hurricanes. However at the time the minister said, “LIME, their application is still pending. There were some issues that were not clear, and I have since written to the company and requested of them that before this license is reviewed, we need to know what the merger entails, what the expectations are, moving forward, and how it is going to work.”
Hopefully continuous insistence like that from the government would encourage service providers to deal with the frustrating Internet, data, cable and phone service Saint Lucians have been subjected to.
Poor Education, Poor Health
We have just a few tertiary level institutions with limited options. Additionally, the prime minister recently claimed that the Teacher’s College at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College is inadequate at preparing teachers. Saint Lucians repeatedly refer to the education system as below par.
In addition students are sometimes sent home for days during term-time while schools are renovated, as in the case of the Babonneau Secondary School. SALCC students are still in limbo with their class locations and just recently Castries Comprehensive School reported pieces of ceiling falling on students’ heads.
As for the health sector, three words: St Jude Hospital.
Justice
A lengthy time for investigation of a case is one thing, but being continuously unaddressed about the case of your murdered husband or mother, as is the situation for Margaret Pratt and Anne Pearson, is utterly horrifying. They’re not the only ones who are in oblivion as to what’s occurring in the courthouses; on the list are families
of those who died during 2011’s alleged extrajudicial police shootings and those injured during the explosion which occurred in Cul-de-Sac last year.
Adding to Saint Lucia’s qualifying to be a ‘shithole’ country, I can count in the tens my friends and relatives who have fled our local circumstances of expensive basic needs, like food and sanitary napkins, for a better life. Some seek refugee status, some marry just for a green card and others travel on a visa, never to come back, even for a visit, for fear of being detected by US authorities.
In your own judgment, would we be considered a ‘shithole’ country by Trump?
