Failure of the Eurocentric Development

Model
By Tyehimba Salandy
December 07, 2008

Many people
agree that this
country is in
serious crisis.
However, I find
that many of these
perspectives on
the state of
Trinidad and
Tobago rarely
touch on the roots
of the issues,
especially as they
fail to recognize
that many of the
problems we face
are built into the
very fabric of
Caribbean and
Trinbagonian
society. Thus,
addressing these
problems calls for
a fundamental
questioning of the
origins and
evolution of our
society. Despite
this reality,
successive
governments must
take responsibility
for the present
state of a society
where despite the
billions in oil/gas
revenue flowing
through the veins
of the country, the
people are little
better off. The
almost 50 billion
dollar budget does
A statue of Christopher Columbus in Port of Spain
indeed show that
there is a lot of
money flowing through the country. But to what extent is this wealth contributing towards shaping a more
just and upfull society; to what extent is it contributing towards individuals realizing their potential and
being more aware and responsible?
On Following Fools: A Bankrupt Vision

Government officials continually state that Trinidad and Tobago is progressing well as a society and, of
course, this view is in the context of their concept of development which they refer to as Vision 2020.
Vision 2020, according to the government, is about attaining developed nation status by the year 2020. A
basic understanding of history would reveal that Vision 2020 as a model of development is fatally flawed
and the masses who are bearing the brunt of this misguided process should be aware of why exactly it is
flawed and recognise the need to take a more active role in charting their destiny. Firstly, the model of
development as shown in the government's Vision 2020 is about following the so-called 'developed' nations
(USA, England, France and others) and it is important as Caribbean people to ask if those societies are
really the models of development that we want to follow? Are they developed? Says who? This questioning
raises more questions. What is development? Who is developed? Who is not developed? Who defines what
is development? Whose interest is it to define development in a certain way?

The pathway of 'development' that is avidly being pushed by the current PNM government is not based on
an understanding of the lessons of history, it is not based upon an understanding of the Caribbean or
Trinbagonian experiences and cultural legacy. Other political parties (UNC, COP), even when they say
they are different have not departed from the essentially Western approach. Our leaders have traditionally
privileged and overly-valued what comes from the economically developed countries while at the same
time casually dismissing and ignoring the potential of Trinbagonian people. Our leaders and mainstream
institutions have been moulding us in the image of a typical Western nation as they see the US and others
being the epitome of development. Closer analysis would show that the countries we are aspiring to follow
have been founded on the systematic pursuit of profit, material goods and capital accumulation through
centuries of genocide, enslavement, exploitation, trickery, deceit, destabilization, and pure military force.
As has been shown by Eric Williams, Walter Rodney and more recently by Joseph Inikori, it was the
proceeds from Slavery and the Slave Trade that was a major factor in Europe's economic development and
the financing of their industrial development.

Even more insights into where we are going as a society come from observing the types of lifestyles of
people in the countries that we are aspiring to be like. Though there is easy access to consumer goods and
all the other glitz and 'bling bling' of capitalism, the type of social conditioning and the general system
produce a zombie, pill-popping population, unhealthy far beyond that which their science could solve,
caught up in shallow celebrity worship and consumed by illusions. A society wallowing in consumerism to
no end, inequality, racism, depression, disconnection from self, cultureless-ness, rampant mental illnesses
and a host of fears and insecurities that allow easy control and manipulation by mass media and politicians.
This analysis does not dismiss the counter-currents and aspects of difference and resistance that are present,
but those exist more outside of the mainstream than within.

Governance and the People

In Trinidad and Tobago, since Independence, our political parties have subscribed to a very Western
capitalist model of (mis) development, and many of the social problems that we are experiencing now are
because there has been little attempt by these leaders to question this dominant Eurocentric model of
development. It has never been in the interest of those who have held economic and political power to
challenge the status quo, even despite the good intentions of some of them.

Within this Western model of development there is the illusion of democracy and people participation.
However, our institutions and systems of government have never been rooted in wide participation from the
masses of people. Although some say that a democracy is a system created for the people, by the people,
and of the people, my understanding of our Western-styled democracy is that that notion is an illusion; a
faade that disguises the reality that there is an absence of wide participation in decision making that results
in our society being run by a few, for the benefit of a few. Our social institutions and system of governance
are rooted in maintaining the status quo, and that is very much tied to economics. Although various
political parties like to portray themselves as being of and for the people, this is more lip service and
mamagism than reality.
Part of the arrogance and ignorance of our political leaders is shown by the notions that industrialization,
our energy resources, and servile incorporation within the global free market economy are the main things
that our country needs to progress and develop. I am not saying economic development is not important but
because the overall concept of development by our leaders have been so flawed, the benefits from our
substantial resources have not been realized on a fundamental level. Development and progress is not big
buildings, mega projects, and spending millions to host international summits that will bring little benefit to
the people.

The statue of Christopher Columbus on Independence Square in Port of Spain, is a glaring reminder of how
ignorance/dismissal of our history and our consequent foreign worship has condemned us to being slavish
followers of a lifestyle which leaves us open to abuse not only from mainstream institutions and inept local
leaders but also allows business interests free reign to rape the treasury. It is a disrespect to the indigenous
First Peoples and a gross insult to the population to have a statue and a square celebrating Columbus for his
so-called discovery of Trinidad and Tobago, while the more sensible among us know that there is nothing
about him for us to celebrate. He participated directly in the enslavement, oppression and genocide of the
First Peoples and his greed is very much typical of the general European attitudes that have shaped and
scarred the Caribbean.

As much as this country has been misdeveloped by the bankrupt visions of political leaders across the
political spectrum, the population has to take part of the responsibility for the way things are. If the
population were more informed, then the politicians would less be able to get away with much of the poor
vision, games, squandermania and other foolishness. The population has been advised to tighten their belt,
the price of everything, especially food is continually increasing and it is in this context that people should
start to question the road that leaders have been taking us down.

There has to be the construction of an alternative vision of progress and development that is more rooted in
an understanding of our historical experiences; a vision harnessing our cultural legacy along with
development of indigenous knowledge systems. It is the ideas and experiences from the ordinary peoples of
the country that have traditionally been ignored and sidelined that are very needed in this process. The
resources of the state, including institutions such as state media, belong to the people, and so there needs to
be wider participation and dialogue to allow diverse perspectives to be aired as it relates to 'development'
and the state of our society. Without addressing these basic issues and without challenging the dominant
and powerful Western and Eurocentric model of existing and doing things (that orders society in a way that
materially benefit a few), we will continue to be victims of our own selves, and on a broader level victims
of wayward politicians and the local economic elite. When the history of our society is addressed and better
understood, then the solutions that need to be undertaken will become clearer.