Aug. 17, 2003 -The biggest blackout in the USA and Canada has switched on these reminiscences of New York where was my occupation and abode, 1985/86.

    For the first time I began to develop a different concept, a new appreciation for sheer size and numbers. I nervously hustled pass the population of D'ca on the streets daily and they in turn, themselves afraid, hustled pass me by. One day I deliberately stopped myself on forty-second street, saying, "Why are you in a hurry like the rest? There is no need for that; you are early for work."

    Once there was an incident or accident under New York involving a #7 train. In a very few hours some 50,000 subway train passengers were adversely affected. And if you think this sounds a lot, in 2003, some 600,000 passengers go through Penn Station daily. I do not know how many more go through Grand Central.

    It struck me then, as it does now, how small we are. I mention this often, not to make a pappyshow of us, but in lament that we do not make our size an advantage. Mr. Sam Raphael believes the same. Should we spend half the time making peace, fostering unity and producing among ourselves, as we spend squandering our energies, sowing the seeds of discord and hate - and maligning one another, our country could even be saved.

    In the hope that the knowledge and understanding of the following statistics would, for our own good, humble us, I read and worked out a little arithmetic and have shared it with others who will read or listen. The contrast is not with the United States or any other country. It is with the world's most massive company, WALMART.

    If our population is 70,000, consider this: One company employs 1.2 million people, or over 17 times the number of inhabitants here. Incidentally, "The ECONOMIST" weekly magazine reported that the lowliest Walmart employee has the power to reduce the price of any item on the shelf of the supermarket, if a customer can show evidence that the item can be obtained cheaper elsewhere. But such phenomenal empowerment is a different story.

    The annual dollar sales revenue of WALMART can finance the budget of our country for one thousand three hundred and fifty years. (1350years). Imagine the extent of relative influence and power such a corporation can yield. We can do little about size, but we need not remain foolish concerning our vulnerability. There is no problem we have which will not be worsened by our propensity to divide and create enmity among ourselves. I do not know that many people pay attention to an amoeba; or to an earthworm. It does not matter into how many pieces you may wish to divide it.

    The United States has 5% of the world's population but consumes some 25% of electricity generated. That electricity comes from coal, gas, oil, water, wind, and do not forget, "nuclear." I have elsewhere argued that the USA's insatiable appetite for energy has everything to do with the attack and occupation of Iraq.

    Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico and Energy Secretary in the Clinton administration said that the grid system of the United States was antiquated; "a third world system for a first world country," he said. Foolish as we are, we have come to accept the third world definition of ourselves with all the contempt that comes with it. Be that as it may, it surprised me that experts in the USA took so long even to determine the source and cause of the problem. The Americans said it began in Canada. The Canadians finger - pointed back correctly: oh no, it originated in the United States.

    President Bush was raising funds, US$1 million in California. He took time off to say: You the Congress, quickly pass my energy bill. The Democrats answered: You would have already gotten it if the bill had only to do with modernization of grid and delivery systems. In fact, it has more to do with alternative energy sources, oil drilling and big favors for your big oil company fiends.

    But important observations can get lost amidst the cross-talk. Most people believed that once monopoly was beheaded and deregulation was put in effect, free market forces were given full rein in the USA. But in fact, despite deregulation, "every power plant in the United States is regulated by the Federal Regulatory Commission." (Source: Mr.Branko Ferzic, Engineer, former Commissioner, and currently Consultant with Deloitte and Touche).

    Here in Dominica, some appear to be happy with an unregulated monopoly that drafted the applicable laws and agreements itself. I am reminded that similar conditions pertained with Cable and Wireless in 1995. I took then, and I take now, a consistent and unflagging position in favour of the consumers. (Example: my series of articles in this newspaper in 1995 which culminated with one captioned "SILENT THUNDER ON THE CALLBACK ISSUE)."

    There was a hurricane in New York in 1985. There was no loss of power, water, or telephone, in my apartment. It seems that residents in many parts of the USA had gotten accustomed and had taken such efficiency for granted. That is the only explanation I can find to explain why so many hotels and other businesses could not get their alternative power sources to function, or to function for more than a couple hours subsequent to the black out of August 14, 2003.

    21 power plants including 9 nuclear came down in 3 minutes. 50 million people were affected in Canada and the United States. 400 flights were cancelled including 35 at Heathrow in London. 65,000 airline passengers were affected in New York, Cleveland and Detroit alone.

    The massive automobile industry of Detroit, Michigan was crippled. 40,000 policemen and firemen were deployed in New York City alone. Thousands of people slept in the streets in the absence of mass transit, unable to use their credit cards or to access additional cash via hundreds of ATMs. Because the sewage plant was no longer operational, it all came polluting the East River and the sea. 800 people were rescued in New York elevators. In the heat, the Red Cross handed out 700 drinks per hour. 80,000 emergency calls were made to "911." New York City lost revenues estimated between US$500m and $750m.

    And since this is not CDC that tends to get away with just about every manner of trespass in our islands, you bet that hundreds, maybe thousands of lawsuits are now in process, pending or threatened against ConEdison and the other big energy companies.

    President George Bush, remember, had gone for hours into hiding on 9/11 before he was advised to come out; and out he came playing hero. On August 14, 2003, before too long, he echoed what everyone else on media was saying: the blackout did not appear to result from terrorist action. Meanwhile, every Osama Bin Bad Boy must have looked on with an interest alien to our own.