EDITORIAL
De Profundis
From 1968 to 1993, Saba people had their own newspaper. Owned and edited by me and others, not subsidized by anyone outside of the owners, never made a profit, was controversial and political as well. I as Editor being a lifelong politician with my own political party the W.I.P.M ( Windward Islands People’s Movement) of course defended my party and its policies. When there were no elections going on the Saba Herald interviewed many older persons who had led interesting lives and today we can look back with pride on the contents of those old Saba Herald’s. They led to our book “Tales From My Grandmother’s Pipe” being published for the first time in 1979 which was recently published in its fifth edition.
De Profundis in English means “Out of the Deep”, a cry of despair. A cry for our people who have disappeared mostly since 1968 and have now largely been displaced by new immigrants. Many of these people have married Sabans and have produced young people we can be proud of. We want to encourage those young people. We see discouragement from all sides based on envy (the crab in a barrel syndrome), based on greed, based on ignorance. It is amazing that under those circumstances there are still educated young people willing to serve this community.
Added to our own local tendency to beat up and destroy our own, added to that we have some Dutch people coming in from Holland, starting their own newspaper probably subsidized by the Dutch secret service as well, and who are constantly ridiculing Sabans and trying to break down the local Saban government. We intend to expose these people and challenge them as time goes by. However we also want to accentuate the positive of our history as a small West Indian people, the achievements of our people now and in the past, and we invite our educated young people to come forward with POSITIVE ideas and suggestions as to how we can best help and protect each other. We invite the Saban business owners to stop breaking down our own Saban Government and to ask themselves as to how their businesses will do better when our own people are replaced even on our Island Council by new Dutch know-it-all settlers. This paper rising out of the deep as the Phoenix from its ashes will not be against anyone in particular nor any group of people. It is intended in a different way to replace the Saba Herald and to be a voice for those who cannot defend themselves and who are entitled to another opinion other than what is being dished out on Facebook and in the so called “Saba Newspaper”. Where it is necessary to be the shield for the Saba Islanders we will be that shield, and where it is necessary to be the sword we at the Saba Islander will use that sword. We are not alone, and as Pope John Paul II said “Be not afraid.” We say to you times have changed, circumstances have placed us in a more modern world. We must keep adapting to that changed world and use the new technology to our advantage. Therefore we are using this new technology to defend those of us left on Saba who are willing to dedicate themselves to serving the island. We promise not to be hard on those of good will, but we will take to task those whose agenda is envy or greed and those of good fortune who do not contribute either to religion or community but who parasite on others with ridiculously high prices, and are always tearing down those who want to serve and to better their community. As time permits we will try and build up this site to one which the native people of Saba can be proud of and support. Stay tuned as we come to you out of the depths of despair to try and defend your best interests, and that includes those who have settled here out of good will and with intentions to help us and who are not here only to make money and divide us. AMEN.
The Saba Islander 