By
Nathan ‘Jolly’ Green, May 18, 2020

As sure
as God made little green apples, the giving away of building
materials immediately before an election in SVG to influence the
outcome of that election is bribery and is illegal. Everyone
involved that knows the truth is guilty of a crime, the arranger,
negotiator, giver, the distributor, the loader of the truck, the
truck driver, the recipient.

The use
of a real or false Program, to create a sham reason to give away the
building materials and other items is another conspiratory criminal
act. So using a program like Lives to Live is in itself a crime if
that institution is operating a sham created to shield the very
politicians who created the program to claim legality, and hide
illegality. 

For
instance, I have checked out Lives to Live; there seems to be no
parliamentary oversight for the program or registration anywhere
within the government website. I have sent enquiries to a government
department about the program, no one has answered me.

Most of
us, and certainly every lawyer knows what a sham is, and is fully
aware that a sham is an artificial, bogus, dummy, ersatz, fictitious,
fake, false, faux, imitation, imitative, man-made, mimic, mock,
pretend, simulated, substitute, and synthetic reason created to hide
something, which in this case is the crime of election bribery.

What is
ultra important is intent in these matters, and by what has been said
by a leading politician in the past makes the intent understandable
and undeniable. Remember a program such as Lives to Live cannot
commit a crime, only those operating or controlling it can commit the
crime in the name of the program.

So what
is this particular sham designed to hide? First, let's all understand
what election bribery is. To bribe electors prior, during, or after
an election is an illegal interference with the process of an
election, either by increasing the vote share of the favored
candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates, or
both. 

Because
the process has been done before in SVG, it does not make it any less
a crime when it is done again at any time in the future.

There
are different causes and factors to the spread of election bribery,
which impact the integrity and transparency of an election and the
real will of voters of making their own choice of a qualified
representative. 

Deteriorating
social conditions play an essential role as one of the facts that
lead to the appearance of political corruption. 

Poor
education and absence of a good model, as well as family
disintegration, are all facts that affected drive to crime in
general, including the crime of election bribery.

In many
parts of the world leaders are afraid to give up power because they
have done so much wrong. They and people under them have stolen and
plundered every ministry. If the leader loses power he may well end
up in prison, or worse losing his property and all he has stolen and
stashed. So such a leader will ensure people vote for him by paying
money or giving away things as a form of payment for their vote.

Not that
I am saying, or inferring this is the case with SVG, I am not a
policeman or a Judge, so such matters are for them.

Often
these type of leaders stand out because they bring their family into
government to assist in keeping a firm hold on ministries, the most
powerful position after Prime Minister is the Minister of Finance.
Once a family controls the major ministries they own the government.
I am of course thinking about people like Francois "Papa Doc"
Duvalier and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier of Haiti. The other danger
is from political families forming dynasties which eventually means
they own everything including every square inch of every corner of
what is now their personal plantation. This can happen anywhere if
the people allow it.

In many
Caribbean countries, there are indicators of the spread of
administrative corruption. Among those are bribery, embezzlement,
apathy, low motivation for work, and other negative phenomena that
several Caribbean countries have come to suffer. Corruption is
so destructive eventually it will destroy a country.

There
are undoubtedly some psychological reasons and facts that lead to the
crime of election bribery. Lack of condemnation through local media,
in many ways, fails to help stop the practice and perhaps helps to
spread deviation among citizens, particularly youth, and provides
criminal motivation and fertile atmosphere for electoral and other
bribes.

The
local press and media indeed have to regularly condemn bribery in the
strongest of terms.

Integrity
is something that can be gained and shall be established in a person
in early life. Schools should pay more attention to civic and moral
education. The Vincentian so-called 'Education Revolution' does
nothing to inform the children that election or any other kind of
bribery is a gross anomaly. Children think it is normal for their
parents to receive a truckload of building materials from a political
party. Children sit and listen to their dad discussing who he voted
for, and why.

The
acceptance of the bribe throughout Saint Vincent is so widespread
among many citizens. Even police officers and others from almost
every walk of life are involved. People don't just accept the bribe;
they expect it at every election. 

Church
leaders have a great part to play, but they themselves are receiving
year round tax free status, tax free imports and all sorts of special
treatment. So they say nothing, as men of God they are in league with
the devil.

The
police know exactly what is going on and do not raise a finger; they
stand by and wave the delivery truck on their delivery journeys to
the bribed. They must be aware a crime is taking place yet do not
investigate or act to stop it. Worse than that, in some cases are
directly and knowingly involved.

Even the
States numerous lawyers, judges, and magistrates know it is happening
and do not contribute as much as a comment, not a single word of
condemnation.

Likewise,
Transparency International, The Commonwealth, the US State
Department, all know about it, because I have written to them about
it in the past, they do nothing except report that all is well. What
is wrong with these people? Do they approve of bribery?

The
giving away of the building materials before Vincentian elections is
not a matter of giving out a few trinkets, a few T-shirts and a
bottle of rum. It is such an enormous operation that it is believed
to exceed the value of twenty million US dollars, perhaps even double
that figure.  Prior to every election like clockwork a ship
arrives from a company called Tankweld Ltd of Jamaica.

There
has been a stream of essays and articles over the last twenty years
about what is going on in SVG at every election time, nothing you
read here has not been said or written about before.

If the
so called, Lives to Live program, which at last elections was
supposedly used to give away these materials was in continuous
business of giving away building materials every day, every week, of
every year, it may have some credible status. But when Lives to Live
only gives away such materials during a few weeks and days before
each election, it is a most obviously a sham. Before the last
election, the materials were allocated by order form, through, or at
the ULP constituency offices. I witnessed it with my very own eyes
and with my very own ears.

I feel
sure that the giving away building materials in the few weeks prior
to each election, would not stand up in a court of law as straight
forward aid to the people by an agency or program.

It is
also the responsibility of the National Democratic Party to stand up
and call it a sham and protest. They should employ outside observers
and present the matter to the courts. They must do more, they must
report the matter internationally to every agency possible.

It is
the responsibility of the Media, printed and online, to investigate
and call it the way it is. The media must do more, but most of the
local media are frightened to publish the truth. They need to publish
statements about it before, and during it taking place, not just
afterwards, or as the majority do, not at all. The whole world relies
on the media.

Calling
all honorable, upright, decent, and honest Vincentian Citizens.

I am
calling on decent Vincentian people who are willing to participate in
the videoing of the Vincentian people's mass bribery with building
materials during the run-up to the forthcoming election.

I want
people to video the trucks queuing at the storage yards, registration
numbers, being loaded, on the road, unloading, the recipient's names
and addresses. I want phone videos also of the proposed issuing of
the acquisition notes or delivery notes. Please, a record of anything
and everything. The video compilation will be made into an
international TV film featuring bribery of the Vincentian people. It
will be screened locally, regionally, and internationally,
particularly in the US and UK. It will be seen in schools and
universities everywhere.

Helpers'
identities will be treated as divine secrets. A little nearer the
election date, I will publish my postal box address in Grenada.

Any
professional video operators or filmmakers that wish to participate,
please contact me. Students are encouraged to help with this project,
democracy, your future and that of your country are at dire risk from
bribery. 

Government
whistleblowers, we need copies of invoices and delivery notes, bills
of lading, documents, and anything relevant. Please do nothing
illegal and do not steal anything. If you are reporting wrong doing
you are protected by international law.

Remember,
democracy dies in darkness, and SVG is being bathed in darkness
politically.

Please
feel free to Contact me initially at 
  jollygreenandall@gmail.com

PS any
videos of unloading at the port and the places of current storage
will be gratefully received. Please be discreet in videoing or
filming, and stay safe.

Nathan
Green

https://www.iwnsvg.com/2014/05/23/propaganda-and-bribery-in-st-vincent/

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