THE GLEANER banner said ‘Cameron must go — Gonsalves’. It’s our Dave facing political victimisation in cricket. PM Ralph Gonsalves, whose nation has 120,000 souls weighed in; “wat a crasses, mi Jeesas!” When we were down they diss us, and now we are all down no change; but it’s our fault, “when ashes cold dog lie down inna it!” The West Indies Cricket Board is small-island politics writ large; they punish us for sins of our fathers — Federation. Smile, but have daggers. I use “small island” with no disrespect; the markets are minuscule and ours can prosper them, but theirs cannot turn our engine. Stand firm, Dave!

The West Indies Federation (WIF) was foolhardy. The British with army, navy, top mandarins could not govern their islands as one, so why do CSME think they can? The British united with neighbours in the EU, so why lasso us way up north in the Greater Antilles to join CSME? Can poverty and English ways build economic power? Bustamante may not have known a feasibility study from a flat iron, but our people knew in their guts something was wrong with this nine to one mismatch and voted no; with no due diligence they did the right thing intuitively. Today’s evidence is that Federation was not feasible for us.

Let’s be honest, most EC people do not like us. I don’t mean as people since they don’t know us, but the idea of a Jamaican — intuitively gifted, carefree; poor but cocky is hard to take. A Jamaican whose bag is ransacked by a black US Customs officer says, “Guh bak to yuh country an’ lef mi tings!” — no fear! In UK prisons island people claim to be Jamaican. They want to be us. The first time we heard of the EC was WIF. Our dizzy leaders struck an arranged marriage, but bride and groom had never met; were it Cayman, Panama, Cuba, Central America, where we worked, fine. Marry a woman we don’t know just because we are black, were slaves and speak English? That was Federation now reprised as CSME. They diss us on oil, trade, Air Jamaica, cricket, gas, immigration, and so we form views of them as they do us from people on TV; we borrow but don’t pay and slag-off at their airports — not a good first impression. We don’t know their masses nor they ours and the incongruity Busta saw- many micro islands trying to unite with a far off big island — still exist. Geography has not changed; only names, expect the same result as 1962.

After WIF, they formed the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), as by canoe they traded, played cricket and married for decades. OECS is father to CSME. Eight members of Federation are in it and seve in CSME — majority in both. Dr Gonsalves’ St Vincent, the size of Portmore, is in OECS, the capital is big St Lucia; 170,000 people. Members surrender all to this centre; politics, foreign affairs, economy, trade, defence, tax. All EC islands have “dual citizenship” in OECS and CSME. Note, we are involved in none of this; the pinch-point for us is OECS members have 90 pr cent of the votes in CSME; we are the outlier. Like Gulliver in Lilliput, they snare the giant Jamaica to move the things they can’t. As, “close historical, cultural and economic relationship fostered by…having been British colonies is as much a factor in membership of the OECS as their geographical proximity”. If the proximity rule is applied in our case we could not be in CSME but they need our market, chutzpah and brand! What’s in CSME for our economy?

The OECS works and looks after its own; sought union with nearby T&T but Kamla’s election derailed it. Their army is placed in Barbados — a good chess move as soon CSME will be all OECS members and they reel us in as “the brother of my brother is my brother”. Collusion against us the most populous nation, with greatest input to CSME, is despicable. We pay hundreds of millions in grant and fees to CXC when we could get exams cheaper. Why? “Shared vision!” Why isn’t the CXC HQ here, we pay half costs plus? Dr Didacus Jules, CXC head retired a few weeks ago, and is now Secretary General of OECS; no Jamaican gets that plum; whose “shared vision?” They suck in colonies of France and Britain with large GDP. Martinique, an associate as of 2015, will be medical hub for OECS, as this French colony has top health care unlike the free West Indies. The OECS has a Supreme Court and will use CCJ; Windward, Leeward cricket councils and teams; Security System (RSS); EC Central Bank; own currency and the move to conflate OECS and CSME was finessed when they abandoned OECS passports for a Caricom one; foreign missions are to merge with ours. I was denied a Jamaican passport. We can only get a Caricom passport. Is Jamaica still independent? What’s in CSME for our economy?

The EC morphed from WI Federation to OECS, to CSME; the PNP is silent so what of the JLP’s youth Andrew? EC has two Nobel laureates, but they need us for market, attitude, brand, proximity to and achievement (Colin Powell, et al) in America. So let Andy Roberts, Gonsalves, Nanthan; Leeward, Windward cricket chiefs diss Cameron; let EC pro-CSME writers advocate; which Jamaican writes pro-CSME? “Shared vision” is neo-colonial hogwash! Jamaica is the centre of our vision. Yet in Mobay they run workshops “with addresses by officials from the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME)”. (Observer, February 16, 2015. Will Cabinet tell the public why economic union with EC islands is best for us?

Jamaica needs a global cricket team and Mr Heaven must wear a black, green and gold tie by 2020. Do it Billy boy! Our manifest cricket destiny! Where was Ireland, Sri Lanka when Headley was in is ackee? We can exit smarmy West Indian cricket politics of us vs them. Dr Gonsalves, can you call for a referendum so our people decide on CSME? Sir, you united St Vincent with neighbours in OECS, will you help us do so with our neighbours? EC islands are close knit, ergo Dr Jules “OECS is a single economic space the same way you can make a call from Castries to Vieux Fort the same way you should make a call from Castries to St Georges”. (Observer, Ferbuary 6, 2015).

The noose of OECS, cricket, small island peeves is tightening. A vote for Garner is a vote against Jamaica. Be not intimidated by anglophone “micro chips”. Dave Cameron for president! We are in the Greater Antilles, neighbour of Haiti, DR, Cuba, Puerto Rico; birthplace of Bob, Usain, Shelly-Ann; sons of Bogle, Garvey, Gordon, Manley, Sharpe, Busta; daughters of Nanny; refuge of Bolivar and Maceo de Gracales. I love West Indian heritage, but I love Jamaica more! Let us build Jamaica not CSME. Viva Jamaica! Live long! Stay conscious, my friend!

Dr Franklin Johnston is a strategist, project manager and advises the minister of education. franklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com