In Senator Calvin Smith's lengthy news interview on Tuesday, December 3, 2002, He accused blacks who have joined the UBP of abandoning their commitment to their race in favour of personal economic and or political opportunity. He went on to elaborate that the whites were in a natural modus operandi in that their economic power was naturally reinforced by political power hence there was no conflict one simply served their other.

His analogy reveals a serious flaw in his thinking or the all too familiar denial and blindness to historical fact. Mr. Smith needs to understand that some black people always understood that black “economic upward mobility” came through black entrepreneurship, some blacks always understood that wages and benefits and so-called labour solidarity would only serve the purpose of equalising the labour market but not designed to bridge the gap or cause some form of upward mobility. There have been several studies showing that the only real advancement for an economic underclass comes through direct participation and sharing of the markets.

Some blacks always understood that by their involvement in business and by trying to gain a market share, was not only helping themselves but also a part of their commitment to their race. Problem being the PLP - more to the point, that faction of the PLP who, by a coup d'?tat in 1965 took over the reigns of that organisation - never believed in upward mobility visa vas the free market ideology. The PLP came into existence when the black economic potential was great (arguably the greatest in the western hemisphere at that time), the PLP snubbed our merchant middle class branded anyone with a market strategy as a capitalist (which meant they were an evil).

Persons like Wilfred Allen and Dame Lois Brown led the charge and were in corroboration with the oligarchy. Even as late as 1986 when Austin Thomas declared that the party needed to change its direction and become more associated with business he along with three other prominent businessmen were thrown out of the party.

Since 1998 the PLP have made a 180 degree turn and now acknowledge the road to real equity is through gaining a market share and entrepreneurship. They came to this position after 35 years of assisting in the complete destruction of the black economic merchant class, have no apologies and would like now to be known as the champions of the idea of black economic empowerment. Mr. Smith needs to answer were was the political support for those blacks who believed in the market approach in the 60's/70's/80's. They gave support to all labour initiatives, some at times threatened to close the Island down for labour benefit but never raised a finger in support of the embattled merchant middle class trapped between the ostracism of labour leaders and an insensitive oligarch.

Why doesn't he be intellectually honest like Mr. Michael Manley of Jamaican and say we made a mistake. Stop blaming blacks that join the UBP for adopting the only strategy available, that aside from if it can be made to work, would also be the best strategy not just for them but the whole island. Also he must stop giving complete ownership to white people, while it may have been clear the principle beneficiaries of the political alliance has been the white establishment, blacks co-partnered in that arrangement with the genuine hope of mutual fulfilment. It wasn't the sea but rather the partnership that failed.

This partnership failure was realised by many in the party in the early 90's and eventually bought the ruin of 1998, and if there was any wakening within in UBP it surrounds this partnership issue. So to Mr. Smith's final point that the white UBP needs black support to hold on to there economic power, I put it to him that the black UBP need the white support in order to facilitate cultural dialogue which is the best soil in which to approach market sharing and expansion. It is that cross-cultural dialogue which will inevitably lead to greater creation of wealth in the black community and ultimately lead to a healthier country.

Unfortunately the language of the PLP is still laced with the separatist rhetoric of the sixties, oddly they looked to the white corporate community for support in 1998, I believe that community understood then they were supporting what they perceived as upliftment and not a separatist movement, it will be interesting to see what that support looks like now.

In conclusion the potential for mass black economic empowerment is proportionally linked with cross-cultural dialogue, which if facilitated properly will raise our intellectual profile internationally and set the standard for social and economic redress globally. The separatist approach of “you have yours therefore I am entitled to take mine and all those who disagree with how we do it, have slave mindsets”, only intensifies polarisation; creates a cynical market environment, will only serve a few and for a short time.