Economic development: Who's got it right?

5
1084

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – There’s no doubt that Aboriginal people have suffered a great deal as a consequence of Europeans in the blind push for equality and self-determination.
 
It was invariably the result of efforts from politicians, academics and activists, usually referred to as the 3Ms (missionaries, mercenaries and misfits). The following article depicts humour – or sadness – if related to problems still happening today on communities.
 
An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.
 
The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, that it only took a little while.
 
The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish. The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
 
The American then asked: “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
 
The Mexican fisherman said: “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, señor.”
 
The American scoffed: “I am a business executive and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats.
 
“Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.
 
“You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NY City where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
 
The Mexican fisherman asked: “But señor, how long will this all take?”
 
To which the American replied, “Fifteen or twenty years.”
 
“But what then, señor?”
 
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”
 
“Millions, señor? Then what?”
 
The American said: “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”
 
Matt Lemmens
Alice Springs

5 COMMENTS

  1. By aspiring to be that fisherman could we all be free? Seems we only celebrate when the fisherman has a fleet of boats. We might be surprised just how many small boat fishermen and women live amongst us.

  2. Matt Lemmens writes: “There’s no doubt that Aboriginal people have suffered a great deal as a consequence of Europeans in the blind push for equality and self-determination.”
    The Commonwealth imposes policy to qualify all our rights, all our responsibilities, all our self-determinations, with race their measure.
    Such Commonwealth imposed policy is contrary to equality and self-determination.
    Amending Australia’s Constitution through s.128 is where Australians exercise their specifically reserved right to amend their Constitution.
    For s.128 Constitutional amendments, where exists reasonable grounds to believe a difference of purpose exists between Australian’s s.128 voting, and the purpose of Parliament, the Australian voters purpose dominates.
    Australian voters overwhelmingly sought equality and self-determination for all Australians, regardless of race.
    Prime Minister Holt admitted this difference in his second reading speech.
    Commonwealth argues it has obtained the right to qualify the rights and responsibilities of Australians using race as their measure.
    Commonwealth obstruction prevents these issues from being determined by the High Court, to protect Commonwealth apartheid policies.

  3. @1
    Paul, you suggest we have apartheid policies? I was so annoyed at Labor’s carry on about a maybe, potential $6 co-payment to see a bulk billing GP I went to try and find one, but couldn’t. When I go to Congress for free health, like others, I get told I am not Aboriginal so I do not qualify. You want to think again about your blanket statement of apartheid?

  4. Re: Michael Dodd Posted March 11, 2014 at 9:29 pm:
    Agree, you were seeing Commonwealth’s apartheid policy in practice.
    Anyone who tells you that being – or not being, “Aboriginal” means you do not qualify for service, imposes apartheid.
    Such reflects Commonwealth argument claiming Australians voting in the 1967 Referenda re s.51(xxvi) did vote to expand opportunities for the Commonwealth to practice apartheid, for Commonwealth to qualify any rights and responsibilities of Australians using race as their measure.
    Commonwealth claims it was unable to stop apartheid in states pre-1967 as Commonwealth lacked Constitutional authority to stop apartheid, lacking ability to impose Commonwealth wishes upon the states.
    Excuse for Commonwealth failure to stop apartheid within Northern Territory after Commonwealth obtained it from South Australia to be ruled it from Canberra for decades the same.
    Majority of Australians do object to Commonwealth apartheid, racists policies which qualify the rights of Australians by racial measures.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here