ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - There is a general cry that “things are bad in Antigua.” Some are doing well, some are not doing too well and some are “catching hell.” Perhaps we can try to emulate Dickens and say “It was the best of times and the worst of times,” but such a description of the state of Affairs in Antigua & Barbuda would be incorrect. Whereas Dickens was writing specifically of the state of affairs in London or the whole of England or perhaps Paris, he was not attempting to state of a global economic perspective of living in that uncertain era. Yet, if only we would attempt to “make imaginary puissance” it would be possible to enter a time-machine, and fast-forward our computer-animated system of “make-believe“ and equate the Dickensian era with the situation, as it obtains globally, today. If a realistic adjustment of our views was made, we would have to come to the conclusion that in the best of times there would be a sub-class of people who would possibly claim that “it is the worst of times,” for they are unwilling to exert themselves to enjoy the times and maybe, just maybe, enjoy being placed in a more favourable category that could be reached by dint of hard work – something that is anathema to them.