R&R

We had two of the four grands spend the weekend with us whilst the parents went off to the North Coast for some rest and relaxation. From all reports, the sojourn was well spent with both singing the praises of our North Coast, no beach, just R&R. We are ten minutes from the coast and I hate to admit it but it is rare that we venture north. One of the selling points of coming to live in the wilds of Maraval in 1983 was the fact that Maracas Bay was a mere 30 mins away. Maracas could have been next door it did not matter, we just do not do it.

Having grandchildren I think puts you in a very different place. When our kids were growing up we were struggling with building a business from scratch, living off of a teachers salary, impossible then as it is now, and generally ketching. But as it is with all things in life we survived.
Looking back at those years it was difficult, kids, dogs, mortgage and other loans, but you knew why you were putting yourself through all this hardship and pain. It's probably a hell of a lot easier earning a salary. When you work for yourself you are the last person to get paid, if you get paid. The sacrifice is real and the rewards at the end of it all are welcome.
 I have a real problem when people equate business people with thieves and vagabonds. Sure there are shysters and bandits in business, but like every single other organization or grouping in this world, you are going to find unscrupulous people. There are people who have given their entire life to building and creating institutions, putting their trust and faith in people, taking people from menial jobs and giving them the break to become hugely successful, the old office boy to CEO story.
Being with the grands brings a whole new perspective to our life. We can actually enjoy the children at a more leisurely pace than in the 80's.

Where is all of this going? The issue of refugees and immigrants has me very concerned. In the northern climes, there is an issue of migrants crossing the border. In the Middle East, there is the Syrian crisis, in Africa refugees running from mayhem. What is expected of nations that do not have issues whereby their own people are not trying their best to leave their country of birth? What do nations do, refuse entry, incarcerate the refugees, separate families, send them back? The problem I have is that nearly all the worlds people were refugees at one time or the other. The movement of people is as old as the hills. If your family were refugees a hundred years ago then who are you to now pronounce on the situation today?
There are very few of our ancestors who came to the Rock willingly. We were either dragged here against our will or we were running from some form of persecution. Of course, the Native People are the Native People. Every single one of us has a story to tell about how we reached here.
Looking at how the world is treating with migrants and refugees is troubling. I know that we are now 7.6 billion humans but there obviously is room for all of us and no nation on this earth should have a right to reject or refuse humans who are running from oppression. Instead of building walls, creating trade barriers and trying to separate each other by making ourselves greater than any other nation we should be making every attempt to assist and work with those countries who have found themselves in problems. There are very few countries on this earth where the issue is one of location as against the politics.
 Politics can be fixed!

There is a serious problem in Venezuela, the politics, and we as a neighbor have a responsibility to work with our friends' next door. Loading asylum seekers into a military aircraft is not exactly the way to deal with this problem. Parading Venezuelan women before the courts accused of illegally working in 'hotels', and degrading migrant workers is not exactly being sympathetic to the cause.  We as a nation have to have a very clear understanding of the situation and determine a policy for asylum seekers. I know of Ghanian citizens who have been here for ten years and still have to report to Immigration every so often only to be told come back that their case is still being dealt with. I know of Chinese nationals who have to pay Immigration personnel a 'fee' in order that they are not deported whilst their application is being processed. This particular case of the Chinese national is being handled by an individual who walks through the Immigration Office as though he owns the place.
This is not who we are. We all arrived at some stage and we must be sympathetic to the plight of others. We cannot be selfish. How many of our own people have left our shores and settled in other countries? and we want to be so hurtful by rejecting those running from persecution.

Hey, it's football, in case you did not know, and the world is a better place. At least for the 4 weeks.

People of the Rock, we are not alone, there are people who need our help!

Good night and good luck!