Tradewinds:
Well, well! I have never felt so betrayed by someone whom I have respected for many years in my community. I tossed and turned all night long just wondering how he could have said what he said. If this was an independent country, he’d probably be run out of town right now!
First let me introduce myself. My name is Phillip Pickering. I currently don’t belong to any organization or club nor do I have any vested interest other than my love for my home to say what I am saying. I have lived on St. John since birth and have seen many changes. Some were popular and some unpopular. Either way, St. John is still home and I’ll defend it without apology to anyone!!!
On Monday evening I would have liked nothing more than to stick around and voice my opinion on not only the Sirenusa project but all huge proposed projects on our island. However, because of a prior commitment I could not hang around and voice my opinion. I do believe there is a God and he works in mysterious ways! He knew why he did not want me present. It is one thing to support a cause one truly believes in and another thing to bite the hand that has fed you.
I could not believe my ears when Mr. Roosevelt David, our illustrious ex-senator made his statement! He claims to love St. John and its people because he has lived here for many years and sees nothing wrong with additional buildings being added to the already controversial project site. Interestingly, now that he is not a senator, he has become a “consultant!” (I have my own “name” for you and what you’ve become but I’ll reserve it for you when and if you approach me in person).
I want to ask you if the money is that great that you can just sell out the very same people who kept you in office all these years. Anyone with intelligence can see we have sewage, police, water, electrical, health, roads, traffic and parking issues no one has even begun talking about as yet and because it’s St. John, you know no one will in the foreseeable future either. We are already secondary on everyone else’s agenda! St. Thomas has their own issues to work through too, so you and I know we will be on the back burner for a while and still you have the nerve to support projects like these?
Mr. D., it’s people like you that have sold us out to the highest bidder over the years and truly I can understand why, but remember when you have finally had enough of here and have piled up a sweet little nest egg to go back home to (in your home country), just remember one thing. It’s happening there now too! So what goes around comes around! The Caribbean is the newest and calmest place on earth for the super rich to exploit today.
To those in law-making positions I say this. If we continue to build as ignorant as we have been doing without changes to the infrastructure in and around our islands, we stand the great chance of destroying the same economic base we strive to protect.
Either we curtail building major projects for a few years until we research and correct our shortcomings or suffer like idiots as other places have done.
Remember too that we St. Johnians are a breed apart! We may not all come out and make noise. After years of complaining to no avail, apathy has set in. However, if you want to know how we truly feel, do like the wise great gray haired Governor of old (Cyril E. King) would do. Walk the streets and talk to the common man. He carries the pulse of the islands in his heart. Leave him out of the equation and he can be a prickle in your side.
Phillip Pickering
Cruz Bay, St. John
