Vincentian Expression

Enough is Enough.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we’ve been conditioned to expect little from our leaders and even less from ourselves. Politicians have normalized handing out short-term favors while offering no long-term vision for meaningful development. Roads crumble. Public services rot. Corruption flourishes. We worship politicians and political parties more than we worship God. And too many of us stay silent, convincing ourselves, “Ah Vincy we dey.”

But this country  and its people deserve more.

You deserve more.

You’re worth more than that.

1. Handouts Are Not Progress

Look around. Every election season, there’s a sudden flood of lumber, galvanize, and cement. Envelopes with $300 appear, passed down through party activists. Temporary road gangs sweep the streets just in time for Christmas. These are handed out like favours, not rights. Politicians make you feel indebted for scraps.

They tell you to “hold strain” and be patient. But year after year, nothing changes.

Ask yourself:

How is it some people build “big house” in just a few years of politics, while you’re still patching holes with leftover plywood?

Why don’t some politicians ever want to leave?

What’s the average age of our political parties?

They keep you tied to dependency because it serves them, not you.

You’re worth more than that.

2. Poor Roads, Poor Transport: A Symbol of Neglect

Take a drive from Richland Park to Redemption Sharpes. Count the potholes. Go through Mesopotamia, Marriaqua, Lauders, Georgetown — same story everywhere. Roads patched today collapse tomorrow. How many times must we hear that “work will start soon”?

Look at the minibus system. Vehicles barely pass inspection, if they even bother. Tyres bald. Brakes unreliable. Engines belching smoke into your face as you wait at the roadside. Government vehicles aren’t much better. Yet this is how people, students, workers, the elderly, are forced to travel daily. And after 5pm? Good luck getting transport.

Where’s the accountability? Who enforces standards?

You’re told, “Ah Vincy yo dey.”

But no.

You’re worth more than that.

3. Falling Standards, Falling Expectations

Walk into a government office and spend three hours waiting for a five-minute task. You’re treated as if you’re asking for a favour, not a service. Schools lack resources. Clinics run out of medicine. Public buildings decay. The excuses are ready: “money tight,” “supplies short,” “other countries the same,”anything to avoid responsibility.

Why is this accepted? Because we’ve been conditioned not to ask for better. Conditioned to feel lucky for the bare minimum. Conditioned to be called “ungrateful” when we dare to question.

But here’s the truth:

You’re worth more than that.

4. Corruption Thrives in Silence

It’s no secret how favours and contracts are awarded here. Who gets what depends less on qualifications and more on connections. Public money vanishes into private pockets, yet no one is ever held responsible. Police, customs, health services corruption whispers through every institution.

And still, people stay silent. Why?

Fear. Fear of victimization. Fear of losing work. Fear of being branded a “troublemaker.”

The irony? In SVG today, asking for justice is considered causing trouble. Standing up for your rights is seen as disrespect. This isn’t democracy. This is control.

But still:

You’re worth more than that.

5. Fear Has Become Normal

Speak the truth and you’re targeted. Refuse to toe the party line and you’re punished. In some communities, people live in fear of simply being seen talking to the “wrong” person, attending the “wrong” meeting, voting for the “wrong” party. Even some churches have fallen in line with politics, not principle.

How can a country progress when doing the right thing feels wrong? How can children believe in fairness when adults are too afraid to demand it?

You deserve a country where honesty is celebrated, not punished.

You’re worth more than that.

6. Demand More Because You Deserve More

Stop accepting:

• Roads that break your vehicle.

• Transport that endangers your life.

• Public services that waste your time.

• Leaders who preach prosperity but deliver poverty.

Stop settling for crumbs when you deserve a seat at the table. Speak out. Demand accountability. Reject mediocrity. Expect more.

You’re worth more than that.

7. We Are Losing Our Brightest

We celebrate our people’s achievements abroad: in the Army, Navy, NHS, police, security services, even in neighbouring islands. We cheer when Vincentians excel overseas. But have we asked ourselves why we cannot retain our brightest at home?

Why do we lose them? Why do people in their 20s and 30s end up on poor relief?

Why does survival at home seem harder than starting from scratch abroad?

The answer lies in a system that suffocates ambition and rewards obedience over talent. A system that needs structural change:

• Police

• Schools

• Immigration

• Fire Services

• Insurance (Home & Life)

• Technology

• Factories

• Audits

• Vehicle Inspection

• Banking

• Decentralized Services

• Health & Safety

• Transportation

• Public Service Accountability

• Governance

• Public Servant Culture

These deserve deeper attention — which I will address in another article.

But for now, understand this:

You’re worth more than that.

Conclusion: Change Begins With Us

Changing governments isn’t enough if we don’t change the mindset that keeps us accepting less. True progress begins when people believe they deserve better, and demand it.

This is not about red or yellow. This is not about personalities. This is about creating a country where dignity, fairness, and opportunity aren’t luxuries for the few but rights for all.

Enough handouts. Enough mediocrity. Enough fear.

Start believing it. Start saying it. Start living it:

You’re worth more than that.

“Vincy to the bone” must mean more than a slogan.

What is “Vincy to the bone” if it’s covered in corruption, intimidation, lies, and dishonesty?

Is it unpatriotic to demand accountability?

Is it disrespectful to question dishonest leaders?

Hard-line party loyalists will make you feel that way. But remember:

You are a Vincentian before you are a supporter of any party.

You’re worth more than that.