Recent media reports have cited Prime Minister Gonsalves as referring to two “internally-sourced” problems facing St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He pointed to a low birth rate as being one of the two problems. According to iWitness News: “Gonsalves, however, said that women are not having enough children because of his government’s successes in education, greater opportunities for a woman and the whole thrust of modernity.”
In that very same week, the NDP was being chastised for erecting a billboard, which states “41% of our young people have no jobs”.
Now, let’s go back to 1985. A story carried by CANA on Dec. 4, 1985, reported on former Prime Minister James Mitchell’s address at his party’s convention.
“Unemployment and population growth are the two biggest problems facing St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister James Mitchell told the 10th anniversary convention of his ruling New Democratic Party (NDP) here at the weekend.”
“The local population numbers 102,000 (July 1985), with an average annual growth rate of 1.4 per cent, with the majority of babies being born to teenage mothers. Unemployment has been put at 40 per cent.”
“… Mitchell underscored the link between unemployment and the rate of population growth within the context of proper policy planning.”
“If you’re unemployed today, what future is there for your children in 20 or 30 years when there are more children, he asked”.
“He said Vincentians must work to build agriculture and tourism, and to enable the country to reach its industrialisation capacity.”
Here, we see how Mitchell, in 1985, expressed concerns over the population growth, given the unemployment rate. In 2024, Gonsalves’ ties low population growth to the “education revolution”, a widely claimed success of the ULP government. Meanwhile, the current NDP erects a billboard claiming 41% unemployment among young people.
Put it all together. Has Mitchell’s 1985 caution trickled through generations? Indeed, if what the NDP projected on its billboard and what we’ve seen in reports published by the IMF and UNICEF about the unemployment rate, then perhaps Mitchell’s question in 1985 is worth asking again: “If you’re unemployed today, what future is there for your children in 20 or 30 years when there are more children?”
Having said that, for 39 years between 1985 and 2024, SVG seemingly faces the same issues with questions of population growth and unemployment. Despite the government’s claims of its education revolution success, is the country stuck in inertia?
Observer
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It’s interesting that these people criticize Mitchel for saying “bat but don’t score” but silent when Gonsalves says “bat and score”.
..The two Prime Ministers are looking at the same problems from different lens. Who is right or wrong cannot be answered simply by a yes or no answer. One has to analyze the prevailing situation as to why the birth rate has fallen and factors contribute to the decline in population as follows:
(1) high immigration
(2)High unemployment especially among youths.
(3) lack of social amenities
(4)Low paid jobs as compared to other countries , lack of comparative advantage s.
(5)High crimes
(6)Better Education access
Mitchell was right when he said bat but don’t score.This is a way to take off pressure bon the land and to have a lesser effect on environmental degradation.
Whe
“(1) high immigration
(2)High unemployment especially among youths.
(3) lack of social amenities
(4)Low paid jobs as compared to other countries , lack of comparative advantage s.
(5)High crimes
(6)Better Education access”
Youre on the ball Theirin lies the problem
True, “you can walk and chew gum at the same time”, but “one hand can’t clam”. Hence it takes both situations to solve the problem.
Women can be highly educated, but if there are no children to take over when they become adults and retire, who’s going to pay to feed them when there are very little tax funds available. China is suffering from the lack of a large work force, because many years ago it stopped families from having more than one child. Meanwhile India with one of the largest populations has one of the largest unemployment rates. Is this saying, “too many children and less job opportunities”.
A QUESTION OF TIMING. Quite frankly, I am suspicious of the motives, are you? We should wonder, why this sudden enlightenment, now? We have been facing this pending crisis well over 30 years, so why choose this point in time to highlight this issue of SVG Population Decline? In order to bring up the numbers, are we contemplating ‘opening’ our already porous borders to the likes of our friendly Latin and African neighbors? Yet invoking dog whistling tactics aimed at hypocritically refusing to recognize the patriotic Rights of our Garifuna brothers and sisters?
Does the road to Elections or door to the money-lending agency of the I.M.F have anything to do with the ‘timing’ of this ‘talking point’?
Without any credible explanation of the reason we must speculate, so I’d suggest we look at the current situation in Haiti. On the Poverty scale we are ranking right next to her, so the warning signs are staring us in the face! We both suffer poor infrastructural neglect and social welfare decline. Take a serious look at the scene around beloved country. Pause and look at ‘how many among us are merely surviving’. Our able bodied men and women are ‘doing what little they can to help their families survive’. ‘Prosperity’ describes only a few who are simply holding on by the “skin of their teeth” but are afraid to speak out. Meanwhile, the Well-To-Do Rich act as if they are blind, don’t care…and “don’t give a damn”!
The problem and solution is multi-faceted so I’d highlight just one aspect as I see it:- Our Lawmakers have “made legal” and thus ‘normalized’ the concept of ‘Babies Making Babies’, viz, consensual sex at age 15., without the young parent(s) having ‘any visible means of support’ , (i.e without having food and ample livelihood), which undoubtedly leads to a nation of poverty and crime.
The message could Not be clearer! SVG MUST change its course. The People are devoid of Hope. The chief messenger has lost all credibility. THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES!”
The vast majority of young people reject the ploy of instant gratification of “ah food” and “rum & music”. They want a better future of meaningful jobs and brighter prospects. Let us change course!