Caribbean Times 100th issue - Friday 29th April 2016

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8 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g Friday 29th April 2016 A world according to Trump Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy speech on April 27 did not once mention the Caribbean. The Caribbean should be grateful or there might have been a price tag for his attention. He did say, after all, that: “The countries we are defending must pay for the cost of this defense – and, if not, the US must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves.” Whew! And, he was talking about US friends in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) such as Britain, France and Germany. In the same breath in which he said these countries would have to pay the US for defending them, he also said: “America is going to be a reliable friend and ally again”. It seems, therefore, that in a Trump-America, there is a dollar tag for the US to be a “reliable friend and ally”. It’s a shame that he did not say anything, in his much vaunted Foreign Policy speech, about Latin America except for a reference to the Presidential plane, Airforce One, being “disrespected” in Cuba. The regret about his not talking about Latin America is that we still don’t know how his now notorious “wall” between the US and Mexico will be built and how he expects Mexico to pay for it. The truth is that Trump’s speech was a jumbled text obviously written in part by persons trying desperately to set out a real foreign policy and Trumpisms. Trumpisms won the day causing any sensible thoughts to perish. Witness, for instance, the perfectly sensible statement that: “The world must know that we do not go abroad in search of enemies, that we are always happy when old enemies become friends, and when old friends become allies”. And, contrast it with the Trumpism: “Some groups will never be anything but our enemies”. Those groups, alas, appear destined to always be enemies and spits in the face of the speechwriter’s attempts to make “friends” of “old enemies”. What was significant about this speech is that Trump read it from a teleprompter -something that he frequently mocked Hillary Clinton for doing. Anyone, who has endured the constant Television coverage of Trump’s town hall meetings and his participation in the so-called Republican debates for the party’s Presidential nominee, knows that his thoughts are unconnected and his vocabulary is limited. He could not speak the more erudite passages in the text written by a scriptwriter. Apart from the obvious Trumpisms, which he really means, the rest of the text was merely obligatory – something he had to say to show that he has some kind of foreign policy. Here’s an example of the speechwriter as against Trumpism; the speechwriter’s words in arguing for a more transparent and principled approach to foreign policy were: “The best way to achieve those goals is through a disciplined, deliberate and consistent foreign policy”; and here is the Trumpism: “We have to be unpredictable and we have to be unpredictable starting now”. The two ideas contradict each other. Contradiction and inconsistency were the hallmarks of Trump’s foreign policy speech which could have left no one with any sense that, should he make it to the White House, the world will be a safe place. That sense of alarm was summed-up in this sentence: “We will no longer surrender this country, or its people, to the false song of globalism.”. In other words, multilateral approaches through organisations, such as the United Nations and the Security Council, are “false”; unilateralism and By Sir Ronald Sanders an all-powerful US that bends the world to its will is the chosen Trump-path, reflected in the telling declaration: “We will spend what we need to rebuild our military. It is the cheapest investment we can make. We will develop, build and purchase the best equipment known to mankind. Our military dominance must be unquestioned”. And he showed his contempt for the notion of global warming when he attacked Barack Obama’s military policy and threw in the scornful observation: “Our military is depleted, and we’re asking our generals and military leaders to worry about global warming”. That, incidentally, was the only reference to climate change which threatens the existence of small island states such as those in the Caribbean. The speech was much more an assault on the policies of the present Obama administration than it was a description of a credible foreign policy for the most powerful and pervasive nation on the planet. At the end of the speech, we knew less about where a Trump Presidency would take America and the world than we knew from his many outrageous statements before it. And, those statements included: building a wall to keep out Mexican rapists; banning Muslims from entering cont’d on pg 9
Friday 29th April 2016 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 9 The Wixard joins local talent for EP release By Justin Peters Antigua and Barbuda will experience the next generation of Reggae Royalty tonight at Abacadabra in English Harbour. THE WIXARD, born Nastassja Hammond and daughter of reggae giant Beres Hammond, is one of the hottest producers, singers/songwriters out of Jamaica. She can only be described as one of a kind as she transcends genres with her unique sound. She started singing to harmonies in her father’s studio at the tender age of 10 years old. A self-taught musician, she would go on to to sharpen her skills at the Edna Manley School of Music as a drum major for a year. The Wixard, along with DJ Inferno and Chedda – The Medalist, both also out of Jamaica will join local musical sensations Caludette CP Peters, Asher Otto, Drastic and many more for the Shake Di Ground! EP Release Party. The Amazing EP was co-produced by The Wixard and Antigua’s Chosen Sounds and will be the shine of the last party before the Antigua Sailing Week Dockyard Day bring the world famous week of activities to a close. At the age of 17, The Wizard’s production and songwriting skills caught the ear of her cousin, reggae star Courtney John, who was so intrigued by what he heard that he immediately started mentoring and working with her. The Wizard has produced and remixed for superstars Nelly Furtado, Michael Franti, and Fefe Dobson, as well as many of reggae’s greats such as Beenie Man & Marcia Griffiths. 2011 was a major year for the 24-year old triple threat, she scored and produced 26 songs for Season 2 of the Caribbean’s number 1 dance show IN THE DANCE as well as having the show’s top dance track “Watch It” synced to MTV’s Top rated TV show The Jersey Shore. The Wizard co-wrote and produced seven tracks for Canadian pop star Kreesha Turner’s sophomore album Tropic Electric, and was the only female producer featured on superstar PauliaRubio’s Latin Billboard number 1 album Brava. The Wizard is currently working on her project as a solo artist. Her 1 st Official single LIKE A PRO, with Nyanda (from Brick & Lace) and Chedda has become a viral sensation with over 11 million combined views on YouTube and more than 50 choreographed videos. She followed that with the club anthem “Mash It Up” alongside hot new artists cont’d from pg 8 the United States; winning victories to make America great again; forcing China, India, Japan and Vietnam not to compete in trade with the US; carpet bombing and water boarding enemies such as ISIS. His speech did have a ring of authoritarianism about it for everyone, including the business community of America. The impression of autocracy was encapsulated in the following statement: “NAFTA (the North America Free Trade Agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico), as an example, has been a total disaster for the U.S. and has emptied our states of our manufacturing and our jobs. Never again. Only the reverse will happen. We will keep our jobs and bring in new ones. There will be consequences for companies that leave the U.S. only to The Kemist, Nyanda, Kat Dahlia and Black Lion and also scored the prolific reggae track “Wadada” for Jesse Royal. The Wizard officially released her debut EP “Nuh Behaviour Episode 1” on May 12, 2015 , a tropical/EDM/ high energy blend which features hot new DJs The Kemist and Kuddedieren as well as Kreesha Turner and Reggae stars Mr Lexx and Cherine Anderson. exploit it later”. It seems, businesses will have to conform to the dictates of a Trump government; their freedom will be constrained and failure to comply will have untold consequences. America will be a different place if this comes to pass; so will be the world. Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this Op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Caribbean Times.
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Page 11 and 12: pler, Ricardo Drue and the Soca Div

Caribbean Times 100th issue - Friday 29th April 2016

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