Senator John Edward's Affair

I am just amazed at the US media and the revelation that he had an affair. As we say in Saint Lucia, "like that is news". So what he had a little nookie on the side, big deal. Let him and his family deal with it. there are too many real issues to deal with, such as the mortgage crisis, the price of fuel and the on-going expensive, pointless conflict in Iraq.

Yes he s a public figure yeah it is wrong too lie but um what do you expect from a country that went to war on lies. I am not amused or impressed by the reaction to the revelation. Time to move on.

While They Wrestle

While they are fighting.

* Oil has soared to US$135.00 a barrel
* Market price of rice has increasedby 70% and the price of wheat 130%
* In the developed world it is estimated that 80% of income is spent on food.
* India's appetite for oil increases
* Airlines filling for bankruptcy and asking for government assistance.
* The UN has increased it concern about food prices and food security and is stating that the basic right to food is in jeopardy.
* The Arabs refuse to increase their oil production and thus experts estimate US$200.00 by the end of the year.

In light of all this the political powers in this nation need to realize that they have a nation to take care of. we do not care about who wields too much power or who was fired and for what. We do not control the importers or set prices. We are the consumers we need to know that our leaders are trying their best to put measures that will cushion the fall out from this global food crisis and recession. Gas will increase in this island and the attendant inflationary effect is going to put a strain on every person whether upper, middle or low income.

My advice to the government and opposition is to start dealing with us the people as the coming days are dark period.

Inflation Continues!

Hundreds of workers at Scotland's only oil refinery on Sunday began a 48-hour strike that has forced BP PLC to shut a pipeline system that delivers almost a third of Britain's North Sea oil. (Source Associated Press, 2008)

Oil is set to go up again. If the trend continues the first casualities of this spiralling inflation are the poor nations of the developing world. Yet wil al this going on the American president is doing nothing to remove troops from Iraq and help to get Iraqi oil on the world market. At present the only persons profitting from the war are the Saudis as their oil is fetching mega high prices on the world market.

The food crisis brought on by the rise in fuel prices is exacerbated bythe use of grains to make bio-fuel. Funny how man thinks fueling the machinery of economics is much better than feeding its human capital. There are alternatives build vehicles with smaller engine capacities.

Right now we are seeing the excesses we had in the 70s 80s and even the 90s when oil was plentiful we need to cutback. The world needs to seriously engage in the use of so called "alternative" fuels. We in the Caribbean need to seriously pursue solar energy. The initial investment in Solar Water Heaters and, mainly, in Solar PV Electric Systems is higher than that required by conventional electric and gas heaters systems. In addition the efficiency of the solar systems depends on the numbers of hours of solar light and on climate zones: they determine the number and wattage of the solar panels array you have to install and, consequently, the costs and recovering of the initial investment.

But then with these high prices who is willing to invest more to save more on the future. We need to monitor the world markets as it determines the value of money you have in your wallet. As prices continue to soar the buying power of your money is being eroded. If we are not to careful we may soon become "starving billionaires!"

The Budget

I have yet to get a copy of the estimates of expenditure for the 2008/2009 budget but I have one statement, well a few. it is apparent from the reading of our esteemed Prime Minister was done in a vacuum. By that I mean, the world food crisis and the other financial difficulties seemed to have been ignored. There is talk of "investors" when world stock markets are contracting and credit is difficult to obtain as countries seek to help maintain their dollar values in the face of general spiraling inflation as result of high oil and food prices.

Where is our relief package? Is reudcing duties on certain food items going to help. In the long-run no as the rising cost of fuel will negate the effect of such a move be CARICOM governments as it would mean less government revenue which would mean reduced public saving, this would affect the supply of deposits availbale in the loanable funds market, meaning there would less money in our economy to provide to lenders and investors which would lead to higher interest rates. Would you invest in such a climate?

Why not monies placed into the agricultural ventures in order to ensure food security? Already there are shortages, no sugar soon rice will be rationed? We have the capacity to feed ourselves where is the incentives to do so? We are busy selling the land to hoteliers. Ridiculous!

The present administration has no idea they are acting as if Saint Lucia is on planet Venus and the rest of the world is on earth. Who cares about 7 new hotels when we cannot afford to buy cheese for God's sake. Cheese! Who cares about the quadrant development programme when soon there will be an issue with rice and the raising of the price of a loaf of bread? These are not luxury items. We are not seeing a rise in the price of fillet Mignon; we are seeing a 80% increase in the price of staples.

Weekly the prices changein the supermarket but we are talking about cost over-runs and who did and did not do what. I do not care all I know is every week when I go to shop my EC currency buys less and less and the administration is doing NOTHING!