AID TO NATIONS – GODLY, CIVIL MOVE BY PM

What do the critics mean by “fix TT first?”  When will all the problems in Trinidad and Tobago be “fixed”? Their position simply means we must never help our needy neighbours. This kind of niggardly, churlish petulance would only serve to embarrass us, in the eyes of the world. On September 11, 2004, under the caption “Good Leadership, Mr PM”, this column highly commended Prime Minister Patrick Manning for acting swiftly and meaningfully in dealing with matters when hurricane Ivan struck, particularly in giving financial and other forms of assistance to the completely devastated Grenada, and other Caribbean countries. I was therefore quite surprised when I heard a critic claiming that the Prime Minister should not give any aid to these devastated countries “until he first fix our problems in TT”. 

I thought the critic would soon receive such a tongue-lashing from fellow citizens for his “selfishness, grossly outrageous and backward thinking” that he would not have the guts to open his mouth again. But to my utter consternation, I discovered I was very wrong. In a mixture of shame and horror, I found out that, according to one newspaper poll, the man actually had some 85 percent of “respondents” on his side, singing the same “fix we first” condemnatory chorus. Really, in addition to generosity, I see inherent wisdom, astute leadership and very keen insightfulness in the Prime Minister’s helping-hand gesture. To begin with, I cannot figure out what the critics mean by “fix  the problems of TT first”. When will all the problems in Trinidad and Tobago be “fixed”?  When will we have no more problems with crime, health care, roads, schools, flooding and poverty? 

But the detractors say it’s only when we have arrived at this level of utopian perfection, that the Prime Minister would be justifiably free to help other neighbours, who are devastated, homeless, naked and hungry. Apart from being criminally selfish, the critics’ attitude just does not make sense. Their position is tantamount to saying that we should never lend a helping hand to our hurting, desperate neighbours. Our country, like every other nation on earth, will always have needs and problems.  Giving assistance cannot, and should not, be based on the mean-spirited philosophy of “fix home first”. (Some have even misapplied the quote “charity begins at home”, in their attempts to justify their condemnation). I have absolutely no problem with challenging, or even “applying pressure,” upon the leader of a nation to pay due attention to his needs at home, in view of his assisting others.

But the godly, civil, decent and reasonable attitude to adopt is “Fix ours, while you fix theirs.” It should never be, “Take care of yourself and completely abandon others, while they suffer and die.” The Prime Minister has simply adopted the very godly, statesman-like posture of helping his hurting neighbours, while he helps his own. “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).  This is how I know it, this is how I live it, and this is how I am convinced the Lord wants us all to do it. In any event, the PM has not said that giving assistance to other nations makes him financially unable, in any way, to address local needs. If people feel that Mr Manning needs “a push” to act, they are well within their rights to do so. But don’t blame the charitable gestures towards desperately needy nations for the lack of alacrity in dealing with our home problem. This kind of niggardly, churlish petulance would only serve to embarrass us, as a nation, in the eyes of the world. 

Don’t we all advocate, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?” What if TT did not receive the grace of God in being spared the devastating wrath of Ivan, and we had been utterly ravaged like Grenada?  How would we have felt if the citizens of the more fortunate countries had begun to curse their leaders for lending a helping hand to us? Let us beware, lest we mock God in our stupidity and bring a snare upon ourselves. If every country were to say, “Let’s fix our business first and then think about aid to others”, what a barbaric world this would be. As mighty as the US is, they are loaded with significant challenges in terms of domestic problems, crime, debt, unemployment, hungry and homeless families, street people, health-care and the whole line. But their aid to foreign countries run into billions. If they were to say, “Let’s fix home first”, what would be the plight of the millions who benefit from their generosity? 

Look at the highly laudable response of the international community  (including TT) in assisting the victims of the Asian tsunamic disaster. If all these countries, organisations and individuals were to say, “We cannot give any assistance until we first fix our own problems, how wretched would this be? If every person in TT were to adopt this attitude to his/her neighbour, what would become of our social conscience and culture? Thank you, Mr Prime Minister, for your godly, civil gesture.  One of the greatest ways to have one’s needs met is to meet the needs of others. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).  Your act of kindness would not only bring us blessings (and ultimately trade benefits, in some cases) but also much respect.